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BV  4915  ,M222  1865 
Mccord,  William  j. 
Our  passover 


OUR  PASSOVER, 


THE  GREAT  THINGS  OF  THE  LAW. 


BY   THE 

Rev.  WILLIAM  J.   McCORD, 

WASSAIC,    N.    T. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTEKIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

No.  821  Chestnut  Street. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865,  by 

THE    TRUSTEES    OF   THE 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 

STEHEOTTPED  B¥  WESTCOII  i  THOMSON. 


PREFACE. 


All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable.  It  is  wise  to  gather  instruction  from  the  Old 
Testament  as  well  as  the  New.  These  things  were  written 
for  our  instruction  and  admonition.  In  this  volume  infor- 
mation is  drawn  from  various  sources ;  and  so  it  is  proper 
to  make  this  general  acknowledgement  of  indebtedness  to 
others.  The  plan  and  the  execution  are  my  own,  and  for 
these  I  alone  am  responsible,  while  free  use  is  made  of  the 
thoughts  and  the  language  of  others,  in  the  hope  that 
thus  gathered  and  presented,  the  work  may  be  profitable 
and  useful.  May  the  instruction  here  given  be  blessed  to 
^  all  who  read  ! 

W.  J.  M. 
Wassaic,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  22,  1865. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  Christ  our  Passover 7 

The  passover  —  Leaven — The   sacrifice   of    Christ — The   lamb 

chosen — The  lamb  -without  blemish — The  lamb  slain — Blood 
upon  the  door-posts — The  flesh  wasted — The  flesh  eaten — 
Wholly  eaten  or  burned — All  eat  at  the  snme  time — Eaten  in 
haste — All  concerned — Not  a  bone  broken — The  feast  to  be 
kept — A  life-long  festival — The  Lord's  supper — How  to  keep 
the  feast — What  is  needed — Old  leaven — Leaven  of  malice 
and  wickedness  —  Unleavened  bread  —  Useful  lessons  — 
Hymn i 7-41 

II.  The  Great  Things  of  the  Law 42 

Great  things  accounted  strange — Great  things  of  the  law — The 

moral  law — The  rule  and  the  reason — Redemption  necessary — 
Christ  died — Why  any  perish — Why  any  are  saved — God's 
pleasure — The  law  preached — The  ceremonial  law — Sacred 
persons — Sacred  places — Sacred  things  —  Sacrifices  —  Types 
and  shadows  —  Great  things  significant — Written  to  us — 
Hymns 42-70 

III.  Forgiveness  with  Gop 71 

Explanation — Who  can  stand — What  is  here  taught — The  first 

lesson — What   the    Scriptures   teach — What   men    confess — 


6  CONTENTS. 

FAOB 

Keason — The  second  lesson — The  Bible — Confessions — The 
third  lesson — Forgiveness  with  God — The  way  of  forgiveness 
— What  Christ  has  done — How  God  forgives — Invitations  and 
entreaties  —  The  fourth  lesson— God  revealed — Reverential 
fear — Filial  fear— .Fear  of  wrath — Fear  a  motive — Fear'  of 
delay — Fear  and  obedience — Fear  our  whole  duty — Adora- 
tion— Fear  and  tremble — Universalism — Seek  forgiveness — 
Hymns 71-101 

IV.  AVhy  Halt  Ye? 102 

The  question — Indecision  unreasonable — Decision  not  difficult 
— Sufficient  evidence — Sufficient  inducements — God  requires 
us  to  decide — Never  easier  to  decide — Loss  of  time — Sacrifice 
of  enjoyment — Sacrifice  of  usefulness — The  interests  at  stake 
— It  occasions  delay — Abuse  of  privileges — Health  may  fail — 
Life  may  end — The  Spirit  may  depart — Hardening  influence — 
Ruinous  influence  —  The  consequences — Unreasonable  and 
dangerous — Decision  wise  and  important — How  long 102-120 


OUR  PASSOVER. 


CHRIST  OVJt  PASSOVJEJt. 

For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us. — 1  Cor.  v.  7. 
Tlie  Passover. 

Abraham  was  called  of  God  to  leave  the  land  of 
his  fathers  and  go  into  a  strange  country.  He 
obeyed  the  call,  and  went  out,  not  knowing  whither 
he  went. — Ileb.  xi.  8.  God  brought  him  into  the 
land  of  Canaan,  promised  that  land  to  him  and  to 
his  children,  and  declared  that  in  his  seed  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed. — Gen.  xxii.  18. 

These  promises  looked  far  into  the  future.  There 
must  be  patient  waiting  for  their  fulfilment.  To 
Abraham  it  was  foretold  that  his  children  should 
dwell  in  a  strange  land,  and  be  oppressed  and 
afflicted  four  hundred  years  ;  that  then  God  Avould 
appear  in  their  behalf,  judge  the  nation  that  afflicted 
them,  set  them  at  liberty,  and  bring  them  into  the 
land  of  promise. — Gen.  xv.  13-16.     Acts  vii.  6,  7. 

For  long  years  they  groaned  under  Egyptian 
bondage,  and  their  cry  reached  unto  heaven.  As 
the  time  of  their  deliverance  drew  near,  Moses  was 

7 


.  8  OUR    PASSOVER. 

raised  up,  plagues  were  inflicted  upon  the  Egyptians, 
and  thus  were  they  made  wilHng  to  let  Israel  go. 
The  last  and  greatest  plague  was  the  death  of  all 
the  first-boi'n  of  the  Egyptians,  so  there  was  not  a 
house  where  there  was  not  one  dead,  and  doubtless 
in  many  houses  more  than  one.  Sad  and  dreadful 
-  night !  It  is  a  night  to  be  much  observed  unto  the 
Lord  for  bringing  Israel  out  from  the  land  of  Egypt : 
this  is  that  night  of  the  Lord  to  be  observed  of  all 
the  children  of  Israel  in  their  generations. — Ex.  xii. 
29,  30,  42. 

In  anticipation  of  that  night  and  in  preparation 
for  it,  the  Israelites  were  directed  to  kill  a  lamb  for 
each  family  and  put  the  blood  upon  the  door-posts  ; 
and  the  destroying  angel,  as  he  passed  through  the 
land,  should  pass  over  the  houses  where  the  blood 
was  found.  The  feast  thus  instituted,  and  annually 
thereafter  to  be  observed  in  commemoration  of  this 
event,  was  called  the  passover.  The  lamb  slain  on 
this  occasion  was  a  type  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  who 
is  hence  called  the  Lamb  of  God — the  Lamb  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  and  hence,  too, 
Paul  writes  to  the  Corinthians,  Know  ye  not  that  a 
little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump  ?  Purge  out, 
therefore,  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump, 
as  ye  are  unleavened.  For  even  Christ  our  Passover 
is  sacrifice^  for  us  :  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast, 
not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice 
and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of 
sincerity  and  truth. — 1  Cor.  v.  6-8.* 


CHRIST   OUR   PASSOVER.  9 

Leaven  is  diffusive.  It  spreads.  A  little  leaven 
Icavencth  the  whole  lump.  So  a  little  sin  corrupts 
tlic  whole  mass.  "  It  is  the  nature  of  evil  to  diffuse 
itself.  This  is  true  with  regard  to  individuals  and 
communities.  A  single  sin,  however  secret,  when 
indulged,  diffuses  its  corrupting  influence  over  the 
whole  soul."  "As  the  Jews  therefore  used  to  search 
with  candles  in  every  corner  of  their  houses,  that 
they  might  cast  out  all  the  leaven,  before  they  made 
the  unleavened  bread  for  the  passover  ;"  so  we  ought 
to  purge  every  impurity  from  our  hearts  ;  and  so 
churches  should  cast  out  every  scandalous  and  dis- 
orderly member.  Purge  out  the  old  leaven,  be  a 
new  lump,  unleavened.  "A  Christian  is  a  new  or 
holy  man." 

The  allusion  is  to  the  Jewish  passover  and  the 
customs  connected  with  it.  As  they  purified  their 
houses,  casting  out  all  the  leaven  and  whatever  was 
leavened,  so  Ave  should  purify  our  hearts  and  lives, 
and  our  churches.  Thus  the  Corinthians  were  to 
purify  themselves,  and  to  purify  their  churches  by 
casting  out  or  putting  away  from  among  themselves 
that  wicked  person. — 1  Cor.  v.*13.  "  Lewdness  is 
the  old  leaven  to  be  purged  out ;  because  the  Co- 
rinthians Avere  infamous  for  it  to  a  proverb."  All 
sin  is  leaven  ;  and  all  sin  is  to  be  put  away.  As  he 
who  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all 
manner  of  conversation  ;  because  it  is  written,  Be 
ye  holy  ;  for  I  am  holy. — 1  Peter  i.  15, 16. 


10  OUR    PASSOVER. 


The  Sacrifice  of  Christ. 

The  motive  for  compliance,  and  the  reason,  is 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  our  sins  :  for  even  Christ 
our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.  As  he  died  for 
sin,  we  should  die  to  sin.  Hoping  in  him,  we  should 
purify  ourselves  as  he  is  pure.  Christ  is  called  our 
passover.  The  passover  sacrifice  was  a  type  of 
Christ's  atonement.  In  allusion  to  the  paschal 
lamb,  Christ  is  called  the  Lamb  slain — the  Lamb  of 
God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  He 
is  our  passover  or  paschal  lamb.  He  has  been 
slain  or  sacrificed  for  us  ;  and  now  we  must  keep 
the  feast  of  a  perpetual  passover  in  his  service.  We 
must  not  live  in  sin,  but  be  holy  and  live  to  him. 
We  must  not  only,  in  every  suitable  way,  commem- 
orate his  sufferings  and  death,  but  we  must  show 
them  forth  in  our  lives.  "As  Christ  died  to  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  it  is  not  only  contrary  to  the 
design  of  his  death,  but  a  proof  that  we  are  not  in- 
terested in  its  benefits,  if  we  live  in  sm.  *  *  *  * 
As  a  feast  lasting  seven  days  was  connected  with 
the  slaying  of  the  paschal  lamb,  so  a  life  of  conse- 
cration to  God  should  be  connected  with  the  death 
of  our  passover — Christ."  Therefore  let  us  keep 
the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven 
of  malice  and  wickedness ;  but  with  the  unleavened 
bread  of  sincerity  and  truth. — 1  Cor.  v.  8. 

In  illustratino;  the  sacrificial  offering  or  atonement 
of  Christ,  let  us  take  a  hasty  view  of  the  divinely 


CHRIST    OUll    PASSOVER.  11 

instituted  ceremonies  of  the  Jewish  passover,  avail- 
ing ourselves  of  what  others  have  said  and  written, 
so  far  as  it  may  serve  our  purpose.  This  will 
enable  us  to  comprehend  the  force  and  beauty  of 
the  words,  For  even  Christ  our  passover  (or  paschal 
lamb)  is  sacrificed  (or  slain)  for  us,  or  in  our  stead. 
The  passover  was  instituted  on  the  departure  of  the 
Israelites  from  Egypt.  It  was  to  be  observed  as  a 
yearly  festival.  The  law  in  regard  to  it  is  found  in 
the  twelfth  chapter  of  Exodus,  and  to  that  Ave  will 
look.  Turn,  then,  to  Ex.  xii.  1-39,  and  notice  the 
following  particulars : — 

Jlie  X.amb   Chosen. 

The  lamb  must  be  chosen  beforehand.  Though 
not  to  be  killed  until  the  14th  day  of  the  month,  it 
must  be  selected  on  the  10th.  This  month  shall  be 
unto  you  the  beginning  of  months.  In  the  10th 
day  of  this  month,  they  shall  take  to  them  every 
man  a  lamb,  according  to  the  house  of  their  fathers, 
a  lamb  for  a  house.  And  ye  shall  keep  it  up  until 
the  14th  day  of  the  same  month.  Ex.  xii.  2-6. 
Thus  the  lamb  was  chosen  and  ready.  So  Jesus 
Christ  was  fore-appointed  by  the  Father  for  the 
work  which  he  was  to  accomplish  for  us.  Behold 
my  servant,  whom  I  uphold ;  mine  elect,  in  whom 
my  soul  delighteth.  Isa.  xlii.  1.  Hence  he  was 
promised  and  foretold ;  and  hence  he  said,  I  came 
down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the 
•will  of  him  that  sent>  me.    John  vi.  38.     When  the 


12  OUR    PASSOVER. 

fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son, 
made  of  a  woman,  made  undei'  the  hiw,  to  redeem 
them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons. — Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  He  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God,  and  by  wicked  hands  crucified  and  slain. — 
Acts  ii.  23.  He  said.  The  Son  of  man  goeth  as  it 
is  written  of  him. — Matt.  xxvi.  24.  There  was  no 
uncertainty  about  the  plan  which  Jesus  Christ  un- 
dertook to  execute  ;  none  about  its  results.  As  the 
victim  was  fore-appointed,  so  were  the  benefits  to 
result  from  his  sacrificial  death.  In  him  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace. — Eph.  i.  3-12. 
He  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  him  in  love :  having  predestinated  us  unto 
the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself, 
according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath 
made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved.  As  Christ  is  the 
chosen  victim,  so  his  people  are  the  chosen  seed — 
chosen  to  be  holy  and  without  blame. — Eph.  i.  4-6. 

The   XiO/nib  witJiout    Blemish, 

This  was  the  law.  Your  lamb  shall  be  without 
blemish. — Ex.  xii.  5.  This  was  "to  signify  that 
though  our  sins  were  imputed  to  Christ,  yet  he  was 
in  himself  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  therefore 
called  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot. — 


CHRIST   OUR    PASSOVER.         *  13 

Heb.  vii.  26  :  1  Pet.  i.  !!>.  He  did  no  sin,  neither 
was  guile  found  in  his  mouth.  He  was  free  from 
original  and  from  actual  sin,  perfectly  pure  and 
holy.  Having  no  sin  of  his  own,  he  was  prepared 
to  render  an  acceptable  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men. 
No  fault  could  be  justly  alleged  against  him ; 
nothing  worthy  of  death"  could  be  found  in  him.  He 
was  a  lamb  as  to  innocence  and  harmlessness,  a 
lamb  solecte<l,  appointed,  and  approved  by  the 
Father,  the  true  anti-type  of  the  passover,  without 
blemish.  As  he  was  thus  a  fit  victim,  so  was  he 
also  a  fit  priest.  For  such  an  high  priest  became  us, 
who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  fr^ -m  sin- 
ners, and  made  higher  than  the  heavens ;  who  neodeth 
not  daily,  as  those  high  priests  under  the  law,  to 
offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and  then  for 
the  people's  :  for  this  he  did  once,  when  he  offered  up 
himself,  a  spotless  victim. — Heb.  vii.  26,  27. 

He  obeyed  the  law  perfectly,  for  us  and  in  our 
stead,  yet  not  so  as  to  deliver  us  from  obligation  to 
obey  it  as  the  rule  of  our  life.  Having  thus  obeyed 
it,  he  was  qualified  to  endure  its  penalty,  not  for 
himself,  but  for  his  people ;"  so  that,  when  they  em- 
l)race  him  by  faith,  they  are  delivered  from  the  curse 
.of  the  law.  As  he  was  righteous  and  knew  no  sin, 
and  yet  was  made  sin  for  us  or  a  sin-offering — was 
treated  as  a  sinner  because  our  sins  were  laid  on 
him ; — so  we,  on  the  exercise  of  faith  in  him,  are 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him — are  re- 
garded and  treated  a«  righteous.  Our  sins  were 
2 


14  OUR   PASSOVER. 

imputed  to  him ;  his  righteousness  is  imputed  to  us : 
thus  by  imputation  he  was  made  sin ;  and  we  are 
made  the  righteousness  of  God — accepted  as  right- 
eous on  the  ground  of  Christ's  righteousness.  Free 
from  sin  himself,  he  bore,  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree  ;  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us  ;  and  hence 
he  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth.  By  his  obedience  he  merited 
heaven  for  us,  as  by  his  death  he  atoned  for  our 
sins  and  delivered  us  from  the  curse.  Jesus  delivers 
from  the  wrath  to  come. — 1  Thess.  i.  10. 

TJie  Iitttrib  Slain, 

The  lamb  was  to  be  slain.  And  the  whole  assem- 
bly of  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill  it  in  the 
evening. — Exod.  xii.  6.  It  was  to  be  killed  by 
shedding  its  blood.  This  was  "  to  denote  that  the 
death  of  Christ  was  necessary,  for  satisfying  justice, 
and  reconciling  us  to  God.  Ought  not  Christ  to  have 
suffered  these  things  ?  " — Luke  xxiv.  26.  "  It  was  not 
enough  that  the  paschal  lamb  should  be  selected,  it 
must  also  be  slain.  It  Avas  not  enough  that  Jesus 
Christ  should  come  into  the  world,  take  upon  him 
our  nature,  Hve  a  life  of  poverty  and  self-denial,  set 
before  men  a  perfect  example,  magnify  the  law  and 
make  it  honourable  ;  all  this  was  not  enough.  He 
must  <ilso  endure  the  penalty  of  the  law.  An  atone- 
ment is  necessary.  He  must  die  upon  the  cross. 
Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission. 
Without  the  death  of  Clirist  there  is  no  salvation 


C'lIKlST    UUU    PASSOVEU.  15 

and  no  hope.  Jesus  Christ  came  to  die  ;  ho  came 
to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself.  He  laid 
down  his  life  that  he  might  take  it  again.  lie  was 
delivered  up  to  death  for  our  offences,  and  he  rose 
again  for  our  justification.  In  the  death  of  Christ 
we  have  the  substance  of  what  the  Jews  saw  in 
shadow  when  they  killed  the  passover.  Through  it 
they  looked  forward  to  that  to  which  we  now  look 
back  through  the  gospel  and  its  ordinances,  viz,  : 
the  atonement  of  Christ  by  his  death  upon  the 
cross.  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he 
was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  :  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  with  his  stripes  we 
arc  healed.  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ; 
we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way  ;  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  inic^uity  of  us  all. — Isa. 
liii.  5,  6.  Christ  died  for  thp  ungodly.  Our  sins 
nailed  him  to  the  accursed  tree.  While  we  were  yet 
sinners,  Christ  died  for  us. — Rom.  v.  6-9.  Herein 
is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us, 
and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. 
We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us. — 1  John  iv. 
10,  19. 

Jilood  -upon  the  Door-posts. 

The  blood  of  the  lamb  was  not  only  to  be  shed, 
but  it  Avas  also  to  be  put  upon  the  posts  of  the  doors. 
And  they  shall  take  of  the  blood,  and  strike  it  on 
the  two  side-posts  and  on  the  upper  door-post  of  the 
houses,  wherein  they  shall  eat  it. — Exod.  xii.  7. 
This  was  a  signal   to  the   destroying  angel   to   pass 


16  OUR    PASSOVER. 

over  these  houses  ;  and  the  blood  thus  placed  upon 
the  doors  pomted  to  the  meritorious  blood  of  Christ. 
"  It  signified  that  it  is  only  in  virtue  of  the  blood  or 
satisfaction  of  Christ,  that  the  curse  and  sentence 
of  the  law,  (which  is  the  wrath  of  God,)  is  not  exe- 
cuted upon  the  sinner.  Being  justified  by  his  blood, 
we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him." — Rom. 
V.  9. 

Subsequent  passovers  diifered  somewhat  from  the 
first  in  some  circumstances.  But  essentially  they 
were  the  same,  and  they  were  regulated  by  the  law  of 
Moses.  At  all  times  "  the  passover  was  a  sacrifice." 
It  possessed  "all  the  essential  characteristics"  of  a 
sacrifice.  Says  Magee,  "  It  was  a  corban,  or  offer- 
ing, brought  to  the  tabernacle,  or  temple :  thus  in 
Deut.  xvi.  2,  5,  6,  Thou  shalt  sacrifice  the  passover 
unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  in  the  place  which  the  Lord 
shall  choose — not  Avithin  any  of  the  .gates — but  at 
the  place  which  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  choose.  So 
in  2  Chron.  xxxv.  12.  The  paschal  lamb  was  slain 
in  the  temple  ;  its  blood  was  poured  out,  sprinkled, 
and  ofiered  at  the  altar  by  the  priests,  in  like  man- 
ner as  the  blood  of  the  victims  usually  slain  in  sac- 
rifice, as  appears  from  Exod.  xxiii.  18,  Thou  shalt 
not  ofier  the  blood  of  my  sacrifice  with  leavened 
bread  :  the  blood,  then,  was  to  be  offered.  So  Exod. 
xxxiv.  25.  In  2  Chron.  xxx.  15,  16,  it  is  said,  Then 
they  killed  the  passover — the  priests  spjinhled  the 
blood ;  and  so  in  2  Chron.  xxxv.  11.  And  in  this 
sprinkling  of  the  blood,  as  we  are  told  by  the  Jewish 


CHRIST    OUR    PASSOVER.  17 

doctors,  consisted  the  very  essence  of  a  sacrifice. 
The  fat  and  entrails  were  burnt  upon  the  altar,  as 
may  be  collected  from  the  passages  above  referred 
to,  as  also  from  the  declaration  of  the  Jewish  doc- 
tors, the  descriptions  of  the  paschal  sacrifice  in  the 
Mishnah  of  the  Talmud,  and  the  testimony  of  the 
Karaites,  who  are  known  to  reject  all  the  Talmud- 
ical  traditions,  not  founded  on  Scripture."  In  the 
first  passover,  the  blood  was  put  upon  the  door-posts, 
Exoci  xii.  7 ;  after  that  it  was  sprinkled  upon  the 
altar  or  poured  out  before  it.  ^'  The  blood  and  fat, 
as  in  the  case  of  other  sacrifices,  were  appropriated 
to  the  altar.— Deut.  xvi.  1-7.  *  *  *  *  The 
blood  was  handed  to  the  priests,  to  be  sprinkled  on 
the  altar  and  poured  out  at  its  bottom,  and  the  com- 
mon i:)ortions  of  fat  to  be  burned  upon  its  tops." 
It  was  a  solemn  sacrifice. — Exod.  xxxiv.  25.  2 
Clu'on.  XXX.  15,  16,  and  xxxv.  6,  11,  12,  13.  • 

I  think  the  above  extract  from  Magee,  on  the 
atonement,  substantiates  the  position  that  "the  pass- 
over  teas  a  sacrifice."  I  think,  moreover,  that  it 
cannot  be  disproved,  and  it  ought  not  to  be  doubted, 
that  it  was  not  only  a  commemorative^  but  a  typical 
sacrifice.  All  the  sacrifices  of  the  law  were  typical  ; 
this  was  especially  so.  It  commemorated  the  deliv- 
erance of  Israel  from  Egypt  by  the  destruction  of 
the  first-born  of  every  family ;  and  it  typified  the 
atonement  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  deliverance  of 
sinners  from  the  thi'aldom  of  sin  in  virtue  of  that 
atonement.  And  if  the  passover  was  a  sacrifice, 
2  » 


18  OUR    PASSOA^ER. 

and  at  the  same  time  '-4  type  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
atonement,  then  Jesus  Christ  was  a  sacrifice,  and 
his  death  was  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  a  satisfaction,  an 
atonement,  a  propitiation.  For  even  Christ  our 
passover  is  sacrificed  for  us. '  The  death  of  Christ, 
then,. is  more  than  the  death  of  a  martyr  ;  his  death 
is  more  than  an  example  ;  it  is  more  than  the  death 
of  a  mere  man,  however  good,  great,  or  exalted  ;  it 
is  more  than  the  de^ath  of  a  mere  creature,  he  that 
creature  as  much  above  the  noblest  angel  as  the 
meanest  of  Adam's  race  is  beneath  it !  Yes,  he  was 
the  Son  of  God — God  manifest  in  the  flesh — and  his 
death  was  a  sacrifice,  the  consummation  of  an 
atonement  for  sin.  The  Lord  laid  on  him  the  ini- 
quity of  us  all.  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgres- 
sions, he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  :  the  chas- 
tisement of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  with  his 
stripes  we  are  healed. — Isa.  liii.  5,  6.  And  as  it  is 
appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the 
judgment,  so  Clmst  was  once  offered  to  bear  the 
sins  of  many  ;  and  unto  them  that  look  for  him  shall 
he>^appear  the  second  time  without  sin,  (or  a  sin- 
offering,  having  no  sins  laid  on  him  then,)  unto  sal- 
vation.— Heb.  ix.  27,  28.  Unto  salvation  !  Had 
there  been  no  sacrifice  for  sin,  there  could  have  been 
no  salvation  ;  but  now,  since  Christ  has  died,  died  to 
atone  for  sin,  shed  his  blood  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
there  is  salvation  for  man  ;  a  door  of  hope  is  open,  a 
way  of  escape  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  the  voice 
of  mercy  cries,  Escape  for  thy  life  !     Escape  !  ! 


CHRIST    OUR    PASSOVER.  19 

"  The  voice  of  free  grace  cries,  Escape  to  tlio  mountain, 
For  Adam's  lost  race  Christ  hath  opened  a  fountain  : 
For  sin  and  transgression  and  every  polhitiou, 
*       His  blood  flows  most  freely  in  streams  of  salvation. 

Hallelujah  to  the  Lamb,  who  has  purchased  our  pardon  : 
Wo  will  praise  him  again  when  we  pass  over  Jordan."        ,* 

Blootl  on  the  door-posts,  and  the  angel  of  death 
piasscd  over  !  Blood  shed,  and  blood  applied  !  It 
is  only  by  the  blood  of  Christ  that  wc  can  escape 
eternal  death.  That  blood  has  been  shed,  it  must 
also  be  applied.  It  must  be  put  upon  our  souls. 
We  must  be  made  partakers  of  its  efficacy,  of  its 
virtue  and  power.  As  it  Avas  put  upon  the  door- 
posts and  sprinkled  upon  the  altar,  so  it  must  be 
sprinkled  upon  us,  applied  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  re- 
ceived and  appropriated  by  faith,  for  it  is  the  blood 
of  sprinkling  that  speaketh  better  things  than  that 
of  Abel. — Heb.  xii.  24.  Christians  are  elect  ac- 
cording to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience 
and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. — 1  Pet. 
i.  2.  Having,  therefore,  boldness  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living 
way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for. us,  through  the 
vail,  that  is  to  say,  bis  flesh ;  and  having  a  high 
priest  over  the  house  of  God ;  let  us  draw  near 
with  a  true  heart  in  full  assurance  of  fiiith,  having 
our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and 
our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water. — Ilcb.  x.  19-22. 
Let  us  seek  to  have  the  blood  of  Christ  applied  to 
our  souls,  for  his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  and 


20.  OUR   PASSOVER. 

this  only  can  save  us  from  coming  wrath. — 1  John 
i.  7  ;   Rom.  v.  1,  9. 

"  See,  in  the  Saviour's  dying  blood, 

Life,  health,  and  bliss  abundant  flow; 
'Ti^only  this  dear  sacred  flood 

Can  ease  thy  pain  and  heal  thy  wo." 

TJie  Flesh  Jtoasted. 

The  flesh  of  the  lamb  was  to  be  roasted  with  fire. 
And  they  shall  eat  the  flesh  in  that  night,  roast  with 
fire,  and  unleavened  bread.  Eat  not  of  it  raw, 
nor  sodden  at  all  with  water,  but  roast  with  fire. — 
Ex.  xii.  8,  9.  We  are  not  to  infer  that  it  was  cus- 
tomary with  the  Jews  to  eat  flesh  raw ;  but  as  some 
of  the  heathen  were  given  to  this  unseemly  prac- 
tice in  their  idolatrous  rites,  the  Lord  saw  fit  to 
forbid  the  Jews  so  doing,  that  they  might  avoid 
everything  suj^erstitious,  unseemly,  and  heathenish. 
Roasting  the  flesh  in  the  fire  was  not  without  solemn 
and  awful  import.  It  taught  the  ill-desert  of  sin. 
"  The  Jewish  burnt-off"erings  not  only  prefigured 
the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  but  showed  thart,  as 
the  animal  was  slain,  so  the  ofierer  of  the  sacrifice 
deserved  death  for  his  sins :  and  as  the  animal  Avas 
consumed,  so  he  deserved  to  consume  away  for  ever 
under  the  wrath  of  God."  Similar  in  import  was 
the  slaying  of  the  paschal  lamb,  and  the  roasting 
of  its  flesh  in  the  fire.  It  taught  what  the  sinner 
deserved  to  sufier,  and  what  Christ  should  suffer  for 
sin.  The  flesh  was  "  to  be  roasted  with  fire,  to  in- 
timate that  Christ's  sufferings,  as  our  Surety,  were 


CHRIST   OUR   PASSOVER.  21 

exquisitely  and  inconceivably  great,  without  the 
least  abatement  of  any  of  that  wrath  which  Avas 
due  to  our  sins.  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him. 
God  spared  not  his  own  Son." — Isa.  liii.  5;  Rom. 
viii.  32.  Christ  has  sufifered,  the  just  for  the  unjust. 
And  if  he  who  knew  no  sin,  and  only  had  our  sins 
laid  on  him,  suflcred  so  much,  what,  think  ye',  does 
the  sinner  himself  deserve  to  suffer?  And  what, 
think  you,  must  he  suffer,  if  he  neglect  this  great 
salvation  ?  See  the  sacrifice  consuming  with  fire, 
and  remember  it  is  an  emblem  of  the  wftlth  of  God 
due  to  sin,  and  behold  in  it  an  emblem  of  what 
must  be  endured  for  ever  in  the  pit  of  despair  by 
the- impenitent  and  unbelieving!  And  may  the 
goodness  of  God  in  furnishing  the  great  salvation, 
and  the  apprehensions  of  his  just  displeasure,  lead 
you  to  the  exercise  of  unfeigned  repentance  and  to 
faith  in  Christ,  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire, 
Heb.  xii.  29.  His  Avrath  will  consume  those  who 
take  not  refuge  in  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ.  His 
vengeance  will  burn  like  fire. 

Tlie  Flesh  Eaten. 

The  roasted  flesh  of  the  paschal  lamb  was  to  be 
eaten.  And  they  shall  cattJteJlcsh — roast  with  fire ! — 
— eat — not  raw,  nor  sodden,  but  roast  Avith  fire. — 
Ex.  xii.  8,  9.  The  flesh  was  not  to  be  entirely  con- 
sume(f,  but  so  prepared  as  to  be  suitable  for  food ; 
and  when  thus  prepared,  it  was  to  be  eaten.  This 
indicates  that  the  atonement  of  Christ  is  to  be  ap- 


22  OUR    PASSOVER. 

propriated  by  faith.  It  must  be  received  by  us  and 
rested  on.  He  speaks  of  giving  us  his  flesh  to  eat ; 
and  he  says,  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  hfe  in  you. — 
John  vi.  53.  Not  that  we  are  to  eat  his  flesh  and 
drink  his  blood  literally,  but  by  faith ;  receiving 
and  resting  on  him  as  our  Saviour,  and  so  becoming 
partakers  of  the  benefits  of  his  incarnation,  sufierings 
and  death.  As  the  Jews  partook  of  the  paschal 
supper,  so  we  are  to  accept  of  Christ  as  our  deliv- 
erer, and  draw  our  supplies  from  him.  He  is  the 
bread  of  life ;  and  we  must  feed  by  faith  on  the 
Son  of  God.  The  atonement  of  Chi'ist  will  be  of 
no  saving  benefit  to  us,  unless  we  make  it  ours  by 
the  exercise  of  faith.  The  gospel  provision  must 
be  eaten,  or  our  souls  will  starve  and  die  of  hunger. 
We  must  believe  if  we  would  be  saved.  Whoso 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eter- 
nal life.  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me,  and  I 
live  by  the  Father :  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he 
shall  live  by  me. — John  vi.  53-58. 

WlioUy  Eaten  or  "Burned, 

The  paschal  lamb  was  to  be  wholly  eaten,  or  if 
any  remained  in  the  morning  it  was  to  be  burned. 
And  ye  shall  let  nothing  of  it  remain  until  the  morn- 
ina: ;  and  that  which  remaineth  of  it  until  the  morn- 
ing  ye  shall  burn  with  fire. — Exod.  xii.  10.  "  It 
was  to  be  eaten  wholly  and  entirely,  and  none  of  it 
left,  to  signify  that  Christ  was  to  be  wholly  applied. 


CHRIST    OUR    PASSOVER,  23 

in  a  way  of  believing,  as  being  of  God  made  unto  us 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and 
redemption — 1  Cor.  i.  30  ;  while  the  annexed  order, 
that  if  any  part  of  the  lamb  was  left,  it  should,  be- 
fore the  morning,  be  burned  with  fire,  and  not  re- 
served either  for  food  or  any  superstitious  purposes, 
implied  that  it  was  a  solemn  propitiatory  sacrifice  of 
awful  import,  and  not  merely  a  cheerful  festival." 
It  pointed  dii-ectly  to  Christ ;  and  Ave  are  to  receive 
Jesus  ChrisVas  a  complete  and  perfect  and  an  all- 
sufficient  Saviour.  We  are  to  take  him  in  all  his 
offices,  as  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel,  and  rest  on 
him  for  acceptance  with  God.  We  are  to  receive 
and  rely  upon  him  as  our  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 
the  only  Mediator.  The  rejection  of  his  offices,  or 
of  any  part  of  his  mediatorial  character  or  work,  is 
the  rejection  of  him  as  our  Saviour  and  the  ruin  of 
our  souls.  They  who  have  Clu-ist  must  have  a 
whole  Chi'ist  —  the  God-man,  or  no  Chi-ist.  Is 
Christ  divided  ?  Shall  we  attempt  to  divide  him  ? 
Shall  we  depreciate  his  work  or  his  person,  take 
away  vicarious  satisfaction  from  the  one  or  divinity 
from  the  other  ?  Shall  we  rob  liim  of  one  excel- 
lency after  another,  and  fritter  away  his  character, 
till  there  is  nothing  left  but  creature  excellencies, 
angelic  it  may  be,  or  super-human,  but  yet  finite  'i 
Let  me  be  a  Judas  or  a  Pilate  rather  !  They  who 
nailed  the  Saviour  to  the  cross,  and  pierced  him  with 
a  spear,  are  innocent,  compared  Avith  those  who 
Avould  take  from  him  the  crown  of  divinity,  or  deny 


24  OUii    PASSOVER. 

the  atoning  merit  of  his  blood  !  No  ;  we  must  take 
the  Saviour  as  presented  in  the  gosjiel — "man  to 
die,  God  to  redeem  ;"  we  must  receive  him  wholly, 
rely  on  him  fully,  and  let  no  other  trust  intrude 
between  him  and  our  guilty  souls.  We  must  go  to 
him  as  Ave  are,  and  receive  him  as  he  is,  while  the 
language  of  our  souls  is,  Jesus,  and  Jesus  fully,  and 
Jesus  only  !  Christ  must  be  to  us  all  in  all ;  for 
he  will  be  everything  or  nothing.  It  pleased  the 
Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  ^well ;  and, 
having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross, 
by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  himself.  In  him 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  ;  and 
of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for 
grace.  '  For  the  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace 
and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ. — Col.  i.  19,  20,  and 
ii.  9.  John  i^.  16,  17.  And  ye  are  complete  in  him. 
— Col.  ii.  10.     Accepted  in  the  beloved. — Eph.  i.  6. 

All  Eat  at  the  Same  Time, 

All  the  families  of  Israel  were  to  eat  the  passover 
at  07ie  and  the  same  time.  And  they  shall  eat  the 
flesh  in  that  night ;  at  the  same  hour  all  the  families 
were  to  eat. — Exod.  xii.  8.  This  was  "to  signify 
that  there  is  enough  in  Christ  to  satisfy  the  need  of 
his  peo^Dle  at  once,  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily." — Col.  ii.  9.  It  pleased 
the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell. 
There  is  in  him  an  infinite  fulness — an  infinite  suffi- 
ciency.    There  is  no  want  in  our  natures,  nor  in 


CHRIST    OUR    PASSOVER.  25 

our  circumstances,  which  is  not  met  by  his  all-suffi- 
ciency. All  we  need  for  time  and  eternity  is  in 
him  ;  and  there  is  in  him  enough  for  all,  and  for  all 
at  once.  The  sacrifice  which  he  has  made  is  of  in- 
finite value.  It  lays  the  foundation  for  the  offer  of 
life  to  the  world.  It  authorizes  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.  Let  all  come  who  will 
come,  and  yet  there  is  room.  He  that  cometh  shall 
in  no  wise  be  cast  out,  for  Jesus  Christ  is  able  to 
save  to  the  nttermost  all  them  that  come  unto  God 
by  him. — Heb.  vii.  25.  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  Avater  of  life  freely. — Rev.  xxii.  17.  Look 
unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  : 
for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else. — Isa.  xlv.  22. 
Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters  ; 
and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ; 
yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and 
without  price. — Isa.  Iv.  1. 

Eaten  in.  Baste. 

The  passover  was  to  be  eaten  the  same  night  in 
which  it  was  slain  and  in  haste.  "  The  whole  assem- 
bly of  the  congregation  of  Israel  shall  kill  it  in  the 
evening,  and  they  shall  eat  the  flesh  in  that  night, 
and  ye  shall  eat  it  in  haste. — Exod.  xii.  6,  8,  11. 
This  was  to  signify  that  Christ  ought  to  be  applied 
and  appropriated  by  faith  speedily,  without  delay. 
Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time." — 2  Cor.  vi.  2. 
The  Saviour  should  be  embraced  in  haste ;  no  time 
is  to  be  lost.     There  is  no  time  for  delay.     The  offer 

3 


26  OUR   PASSOVER. 

should  be  accepted,  the  first  invitation  embraced. 
The  sacrifice  is  oifered,  the  lamb  is  slain,  the  pro- 
vision is  made,  all  things  are  ready ;  come  to  the 
feast.  Come,  eat  and  live  !  Come  unto  me,  all  ye 
that  labour  and  are  heavy-laden,  and  I  "will  give  you 
rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me  ; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart :  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy, 
and  my  burden  is  hght. — Matt.  xi.  28-30. 

"  Ho,  all  ye  hungry,  starving  souls, 

Who  feed  upon  the  wind. 
And  vainly  strive,  with  earthly  toys, 

To  fill  an  empty  mind: 
Eternal  wisdom  has  prepared 

A  soul-reviving  feast; 
And  bids  your  longing  appetites 

The  rich  provision  taste." 

A.II  Cancerned, 

All  Israel  were  concerned  in  the  matter. — Ex.  xii. 
6,  8,  11.  The  whole  assembly  of  the  congregation 
of  Israel  were  to  kill  the  paschal  lamb,  and  all  were 
to  eat  of  it.  All  were  interested.  And  so  Jesus 
Christ  was  put  to  death  on  Calvary,  in  the  presence 
of  the  whole  city  of  Jerusalem,  or  where  nearly 
the  whole  city  colild  see  the  solemn  transaction ; 
and  it  was  witnessed  not  only  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem,  but  also  by  the  multitudes  gathered  from 
all  parts  of  Judea  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over.  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wil- 
derness, so  has  the  Son  of  man  been  lifted  up.  He 
is  made  a  spectacle  to  the  world.     To  him  the  past 


CHRIST   OUR    PASSOVER.  27 

ages  looked  forward  ;  to  him  tlie  following  ages  look 
back.  By  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  all  eyes  are 
directed  to  him.  To  him  the  messengers  of  the 
cross  point  their  hearers,  and  say,  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God !  And  every  man  has  an  interest  in  this 
matter.  His  own  salvation  is  concerned.  His  eter- 
nal all  is  at  stake.  He  must  lay  hold  on  Christ  for 
himself  or  perish.  He  must  believe  or  be  damned. 
This  one  thing  is  needful.  Let  it  be  heeded.  Seek 
ye  first  tlio  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness. 
— Matt.  vi.  33. 

yof  a  Bone  JBroken, 

The  very  circumstances  of  the  crucifixion  were 
foreshadowed  in  the  passover  institution.  The  lamb 
was  to  be  roasted  whole,  and  not  a  bone  of  it  broken. 
— Ex.  xii.  9,  4C.  This  was  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ ; 
he  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  he  was  pierced  with  a 
spear,  but  not  a  bone  of  him-Avas  broken.  Then 
came  the  soldiers,  and  brake  the  legs  of  the  first, 
and  of  the  other  which  was  crucified  with  him. 
But  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  and  saw  that  he  was 
dead  already,  they  brake  not  his  legs.  These 
things  were  done  that  the  Scripture  should  be  ful- 
filled, A  bone  of  him  shall  not  be  broken. — John 
xix.  31-37.  Thus  in  him  were  the  Scriptures  ful- 
filled. He  is  the  promised  Messiah ;  the  substance 
of  the  law's  shadows,  the  truth  of  what  the  prophets 
foretold,  the  fulfilment  of  Old  Testament  types,  the 
true  passover.  Even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacri- 
ficed for  us.     They  Avho  are  sprinkled  with  his  blood 


28  OUR   PASSOVER. 

are  secure  from  the  destroying  angel.  Over  them 
the  second  death  can  have  no  poAver.  Their  sins 
are  removed,  their  transgressions  covered,  their  souls 
are  safe,  and  they  have  peace  and  joy.  Therefore, 
being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — Rom.  v.  1.  For 
he  is  our  peace ;  having  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross. — Eph.  ii.  14 ;   Col.  i.  20, 

It  is  to  be  remembered,  too,  that  our  Lord  was 
crucified  at  the  time  of  the  Jewish  passover ;  and 
now,  instead  of  that  festival,  we  are  to  keep  a  life- 
long feast,  and  we  have  also  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  was  instituted  by  him  the  night  before  his 
crucifixion,  and  Avhich  is  to  be  observed  by  his  peo- 
ple until  his  second  coming.  Hence  let  us  now 
consider  the  duty  of  commemorating  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ.  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacri- 
ficed for  us ;  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast. 

27ie  Feast  to  be  Kept. 

The  passover  is  slain,  the  feast  is  to  be  kept. 
And  let  us  keep  the  feast,  first,  by  believing  in  him. 
We  must  believe.  As  Christ  our  passover  has  been 
sacrificed  for  us — has  died  in  our  stead  and  made 
an  atonement  for  our  sins — we  should  keep  the  feast 
by  embracing  him  as  our  Saviour,  feeding  on  him 
by  faith,  and  living  to  his  glory.  As  the  Jews  fed 
on  the  paschal  lamb,  Avhich  was  a  type  of  Christ, 
and  thus  kept  the  feast  of  the  passover,  so  we  are 
to  embrace  Christ's  atonement,  beUeve  in  him  as 


OHRIfiT    OUR    PASPOVKR.  29 

our  Saviour,  feed  on  liim  by  faith,  and  so  live  as  to 
honour  and  glorify  him,  and  thus  keep  the  gospel 
feast.  Christ  is  our  passover,  or  paschal  lamb,  sac- 
rificed for  us,  and  to  keep  the  feast,  is,  in  the  first 
place,  and  as  our  first  duty,  by  faith  to  receive  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thus  avail  ourselves  of  the  benefits  of 
this  sacrifice.  The  first  duty,  then,  that  we  may 
commemorate  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  is  to  believe  in 
him.  Without  this  no  other  commemoration  will 
be  of  any  avail.  We  must  come  to  Christ  and 
trust  in  him,  or  we  cannot  keep  the  feast.  To 
come  to  him  is  the  first  duty ;  but  this  first  duty 
does  not  exclude  a  second ;  this  commemoration 
does  not  exclude  another,  very  significant  and  im- 
portant. It  is  indeed  but  the  beginning  of  the  feast; 
it  ends  only  with  life — nor  even  then ;  for  death 
introduces  us  to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb, 
and  that  is  as  lasting  as  eternity.  It  shall  never 
end.  It  begins  when  we  believe ;  for  the  joys  of 
the  redeemed  on  earth  and  in  heaven  are  one,  of 
the  same  nature^  differing  only  in  degree.  "  Sal- 
vation is  not  merely  a  future  though  certain  good  ; 
it  is  a  present  and  abundant  joy."  And  not  only 
so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received  the  atone- 
ment, or  reconciliation. — Rom.  v.  8-11. 

A   Life-long  Festival, 

The  whole  Christian  life  is  a  feast  of  consecration  to 
God.     The  sacrifice  of  the  Jewish  passover  was  to  be 

3  * 


30  OUR   PASSOVER. 

followed  by  a  seven  days'  festival — seven  days  conse- 
crated to  God.  Christ  our  passover  being  sacrificed 
for  us,  the  Christian  life  is  to  be  a  perpetual  festival, 
a  life-long  paschal  feast,  a  perpetual  consecration  to 
God,  begun  in  the  reception  of  him  by  faith,  continued 
in  a  life  of  obedience  and  of  constant  feeding  upon 
him.  We  are  to  live  by  faith  on  the  Son  of  God ;  we 
are  to  feed  on  him ;  we  are  to  draw  all  our  supplies 
and  all  our  comforts  from  him ;  we  are  to  honour 
and  glorify  him ;  we  are  to  live,  not  to  ourselves,  but 
to  him ;  we  are  to  be  wholly  devoted  and  entirely 
consecrated  to  his  service  while  life  lasts  and  while 
immortality  endures.  Our  paschal  lamb  is  slain ; 
let  us  keep  the  feast ;  let  our  whole  lives  be  one 
paschal  festival,  lives  of  trust  in  Christ,  lives  of  sor- 
row for  sin,  lives  of  joy  for  deliverance,  lives  of 
gratitude  and  thanksgiving,  lives  of  cheerful  obedi- 
ence, lives  of  consecration  to  our  Master's  service, 
lives  of  self-denial  and  sacrifice  for  the  world's  good, 
lives  of  toil,  lives  of  prayer  and  praise,  lives  of 
deadness  to  sin  and  the  world,  hveS  of  sincerity  and 
truth  in  doing  our  Master's  will,  lives  of  holiness, 
departing  from  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
and  living  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this 
present  world,  adorning  in  all  things  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour. — Titus  ii.  10-14.  He  that  saith 
he  abideth  in  him  ought  himself  also  so  to  Avalk, 
even  as  he  walked.  And  every  man  that  hath  this 
hope  in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. — 
1  John  ii.  6,  and  iii.  2,  3.     For  even   Christ  our 


CirillST   OUR    PASSOVER.  31 

passover  is  sacrificed  for  us :  therefore  let  us  keep 
the  feast,  not  Avith  ohl  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven 
of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  Avith  the  unleavened 
bread  of  sincerity  and  truth. — 1  Cor.  v.  6-8.  "To 
keep  the  feast  means,  '  Let  your  whole  lives  be  as  a 
sacred  festival,  that  is,  consecrated  to  God.'  As  a 
feast  lasting  seven  days  was  connected  with  the 
slaying  of  the  paschal  lamb ;  so  a  life  of  consecra- 
tion to  God  should  be  connected  with  the  death  of 
our  passover — Christ."  A  life-long  feast;  such  is 
the  Christian  life.  He  lives  not  to  himself,  but  to 
God ;  for  he  is  not  his  own :  he  is  bought  with  a 
price — redeemed,  not  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot. — 
1  Pet.  i.  18-21. 

Tlie  Lord'a  Supper. 

The  death  of  Christ  is  to  be  commemorated.  It 
must  be  kept  in  perpetual  remembrance.  Thus  Paul 
wrote  to  the  Corinthians,  For  I  have  received  of  the 
Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you.  That  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed, 
took  bread  :  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake 
it,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  which  is 
broken  for  you:  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me. 
Aft£i-  the  same  manner  also  he  took  the  cup,  when 
he  had  supped,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  my  blood :  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it, 
in  remembrance  of  me.     For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this 


32  OUR    PASSOVER. 

bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come.— 1  Cor.  xi.  23—26.  This  is 
one  of  the  means  which  God  has  appointed  for  sus- 
taining the  life  of  grace  in  the  soul ;  a  help  to  a  life 
of  consecration  to  God.  Therefore  let  us  keep  the 
feast,  the  feast  of  the  Lord's  supper,  which  com- 
memorates the  sacrifice  of  Christ  our  passover,  as  a 
means  of  spiritual  growth  and  of  faithfulness  in  his 
service.  As  the  Jews  kept  the  passover,  which  was 
a  type  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ ;  so  we  are  to  keep 
the  feast  of  the  Lord's  supper,  which  is  a  commemo- 
ration of  that  sacrifice.  The  feast  of  the  passover 
was  a  feast  iipon  a  sacrifice,  typifying  a  nobler  sacri- 
fice and  commemorating;  deliverance  from  bondage. 
The  Lord's  supper  is  a  feast  commemorative  of  that 
nobler  sacrifice  which  the  passover  shadowed  forth, 
and  is  to  be  observed  in  remembrance  of  that  sacri- 
fice— of  him  who  was  slain  and  of  the  deliverance 
wrought  by  his  death.  It  is  a  commemorative  ordi- 
nance. Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast ;  let  us  cele- 
brate the  dying  love  of  Jesus  Christ ;  let  us  keep  in 
mind  the  passover  slain  for  us.  He  hath  said.  This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me.  By  this  ye  do  shew 
forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.  The  duty  of 
keeping  this  feast,  which  takes  the'place  of  the  Jew- 
ish passover,  is  one  which  is  plainly  inculcated,  one 
which  I  know  not  how  any  who  love  the  Saviour 
can  feel"  themselves  justified  in  neglecting.  It  is  ex- 
pressly enjoined  by  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  is  en- 
forced by  his  example :   it  is  enjoined  by  apostolic 


CHRIST   OUR    PASSOVER.  33 

authority,  and  enforced  by  the  practice  of  the 
primitive  church ;  the  example  of  the  church  in  all 
ages  enforces  it :  and  when  viewed  as  a  memento  of 
the  suflferings  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ  for  sin, 
simple,  appropriate,  touching,  who  would  not  say, 
As  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us,  therefore 
let  us  keep  the  feast.  It  is  an  imperious  duty  and  a 
glorious  privilege.  This  is  our  passover  festival — a 
remembrance  of  the  Son  of  God  in  his  sufferings 
and  death  for  us.  But  let  a  man  examine  himself, 
and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that 
cup. — 1  Cor.  xi.  28. 

noio  to   hecp  the  Feast, 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  manner  of  commemorating 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  or  of  keeping  our  passover. 
Purge  out  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump, 
as  ye  are  unleavened.  Keep  the  feast,  not  with  old 
leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wicked- 
ness, but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth. — 1  Cor.  v.  G-8.  This  teaches  us  how  we  are 
to  keep  the  feast,  both  as  it  respects  the  reception 
of  the  atonement  by  faith  and  the  life  of  holiness 
we  are  to  lead,  and  also  as  it  respects  the  commem- 
oration of  Christ's  sacrifice  in  the  holy  supper. 

What  is  Xeeded. 

To  avail  ourselves  of  the  atonement,  we  must 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ ;  we  are,  by  divine  grace, 
to  purge  out  the  old  leaven,  repent  of  and  forsake 


34  OUR   PASSOVER. 

our  sins,  and  rest  by  faith  on  Jesus  Christ  in  sin- 
cerity and  truth.  We  cannot  have  Christ  and  keep 
our  sins ;  we  cannot  have  pardon  and  peace,  and 
yet  remain  in  unbelief.  We  cannot  keep  the.  gos- 
pel feast  with  .our  hearts  filled  with  the  leaven  of 
malice  and  wickedness.  As  Christ  died  for  sin,  so 
we  must  die  to  sin.  The  first  step  to  a  holy  life  is 
to  come  to  Christ  for  life.  He  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of 
good  works.  Burdened  with  a  sense  of  sin,  we 
must  go  to  him,  and  rely  upon  him,  and  our  sins 
shall  be  forgiven.  Christ  will  be  our  peace  and  our 
salvation.  He  says.  This  people  have  I  formed  for 
myself;   they  shall  shew  forth  my  praise. 

After  thus  availing  ourselves  of  the  atonement 
and  its  benefits,  we  are  to  walk  in  newness  of  life, 
remembering  that  we  are  not  our  own,  because  we 
are  bought  with  a  price ;  we  are  to  hold  a  life-long 
festival — a  perpetual  eucharist — live  a  life  of  con- 
secration to  God ;  and  as  a  part  of  our  duty,  and 
as  a  means  of  spiritual  growth,  we  are,  at  suitable 
times,  to  commemorate  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  in 
the  sacram«nt  of  the  Supper.  And  while  the  lan- 
guage of  the  disciple  is  applicable  to  the  whole 
Christian  life,  it  is  specially  applicable  to  this  par- 
ticular occasion.  It  teffthes  us  how  we  are  to  come 
to  this  feast,  or  the  spirit  we  are  to  possess,  the 
preparation  of  heart  which  is  necessary.  Where- 
fore whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this 


oil  HIST    OUR    PASSOVER.  35 

cup  of  the  Lonl,  unworthily,  shall  -be  guilty  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  But  let  a  man  ex- 
amine himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and 
drink  of  that  cup.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh 
unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to  him- 
self, not  discerning  the  Lord's  body. — 1  Cor.  xi. 
26-30. 

Old  Leaven. 

We  are  not  to  keep  this  feast — nor  our  life-fes- 
tival— with  old  leaven,  with  sin  retained  and  prac- 
tised. Our  hearts  must  be  changed  and  purified 
before  we  are  prepared  to  partake  of  these  emblems. 
We  must  be  born  again,  become  new  creatures  in 
Christ  Jesus,  old  things  must  pass  away,  all  things 
become  new.  The  old  leaven  must  be  purged  out, 
that  we  may  be  a  new  lump,  unleavened,  holy. 
"  As  the  Corinthians  were  to  purge  out  the  leaven 
of  heathen  licentiousness,  and  every  evil  habit  and 
practice,  so  we  are  to  eradicate  every  disposition, 
habit,  and  practice,  as  to  its  allowed  indulgence, 
which  is  opposed  to  the  divine  will.  Our  old  sins 
are  to  be  forsaken,  and  new  dispositions,  habits,  and 
practices  are  to  be  cherished.  Put  off  concerning 
tlie  former  conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  cor- 
rupt according  to  the  deceitful  lusts ;  and  be  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of  your^mind  ;  and  that  ye  put 
on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  rio;ht- 
eousness  and  true  holiness." — Eph.  iv.  20-24. 


36  OUR   PASSOVER. 

Zieaven  of  Malice  and  Wichedneaa, 

Neither  are  we  to  keep  this  feast — nor  our  life- 
festival — with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness. 
We  are  to  cherish  no  unkind  nor  improper  feelings 
towards  our  fellow-men.  We  are  to  have  a  charita- 
ble and  forgiving  spirit.  If  others  trespass  against 
us,  we  are  to  forgive.  We  must  harbour  no  malice, 
for  that  is  murder.  Nor  is  wickedness  to  be  in- 
dulged. Every  unholy  motion  and  desire  is  to  be 
banished  from  our  hearts,  every  sinful  affection  is 
to  be  mortified ;  we  are  to  love  all  men,  love 
our  neighbours  as  ourselves ;  and  hereby  we  know 
that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because 
we  love  the  brethren.  Let  brotherly  love  continue. 
The  love  of  God  must  be  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  us  ;  the  love  of  Christ 
must  constrain  us  ;  we  must  be  controlled  by  love ; 
and  love  must  dwell  in  our  hearts  and  be  shown  in 
our  lives.  See  in  the  bread  and  wine  the  tokens  of 
Christ's  love ;  and  how  can  we  think  of  keeping 
this  feast  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness  ? 
No,  these  must  be  banished !  •  Wherefore  putting 
away  lying,  speak  every  man  truth  with  his  neigh- 
bour :  for  we  are  members  one  of  another.  Let 
all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour, 
and  evil  speaking,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all 
malice :  and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender- 
hearted, forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  for 
Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.     Be  ye  therefore 


CHRIST   OUR   PASSOVER.  37 

followers  of  God,  as  dear  children ;  and  walk  in 
love,  as  Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given 
himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God, 
for  a  sweet-smelling  savour. — Eph.  iv.  25-32 ;  and 
V.  1-7. 

Unleavened  Bread, 

No ;  Avc  must  keep  this  feast — and  our  life-fes- 
tival— with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth.  The  Jewish  passover  must  be  kept  without 
leaven  ;  and  so  in  the  fcast,  commemorative  of  the 
•sacrifice  of  Christ  our  passover,  we  must  have  no 
unhallowed  leaven.  There  must  be  no  leaven  of 
malice  and  wickedness — no  leaven  of  insincerity — 
no  leaven  of  unfaithfulness ;  we  must  be  sincere — 
sincere  in  our  reception  of  Christ — sincere  in  our 
professions  of  attachment  to  him — sincere  in  our 
acts  of  worship — sincere  in  the  solemn  ordinance 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  celebrate  what  we  pro- 
fess to,  the  dying  and  atoning  love  of  Jesus  Christ. 
We  must  be  sincere  in  our  whole  lives.  There  must 
be  no  leaven  of  deception,  nor  of  hypocrisy.  We 
must  have  the  unleavened  bread  of  truth,  as  well 
as  of  sincerity.  We  may  be  sincere,  and  yet  be 
deceived.  Sincerity  is  no  infallible  evidence  of  cor- 
rectness. We  must  have  truth  on  our  side,  and  in 
our  hearts,  as  well  as  sincerity.  We  must  believe 
and  obey  the  truth.  We  must  speak  the  truth  in 
all  our  professions  and  doings,  in  all  our  intercourse 
with  God  and  men.  We  must  love  the  truth,  seek 
the  truth,  prize  the  truth,  be  willing  to  suffer  for 
4 


38  OUR    PASSOVER. 

the  truth,  know  the  truth,. that  the  truth  may  make 
us  free.  "We  must  possess  that  inward  state  which 
answers  to  the  truth,  that  moral  condition  which  is 
conformed  to  the  law  and  character  of  God."  Our 
xjharacters  must  be  of  "transparent  clearness,"  and 
conformed  to  the  divine.  In  a  moral  point  of  view, 
we  must  be  like  God,  conformed  to  the  image  of  his 
Son.  In  this  ordinance — and  in  our  whole  lives — 
we  must  be  sincere  and  true,  believe  what  it  signi- 
fies, mean  what  we  profess,  and  do  what  Ave  cove- 
nant and  promise.  Know  ye  not  that  a  little  leaven 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump  ?  Purge  out  therefore 
the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump,  as  ye 
are  unleavened.  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is 
sacrificed  for  us :  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast, 
not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  mal- 
ice and  wickedness,  but  Avith  the  unleavened  bread 
of  sincerity  and  truth.  Let  our  lives  be  a  constant 
passover  festival,  a  perpetual  eucharist,  a  constant 
honouring  of  Christ  by  lives  of  faith  in  him  and 
of  obedience  to  him.  Wherefore  laying  aside  all 
malice,  and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies, 
and  all  evil  speakings,  as  new-born  babes,  desire  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby : 
if  so  be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious. 
To  whom  coming,  as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed 
indeed  of  men,  but  chosen  of  Godj^  and  precious, 
ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to  ofier  up  spiritual  sacri- 
fices, acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.     Ye  are  a 


CHRIST   OUR   PASSOVER.  39 

chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  lioly  na- 
tion, a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye  should  shew  forth 
the  praises  of  him  avIio  hath  called  you  out  of  dark- 
ness into  his  marvellous  light. — 1  Pet.  ii.  1—10. 

Useful  XiC.isons. 

1.  There  is  an  atonement.  The  paschal  lamb 
was  a  sacrifice;  and  this  was  a  type  of  Christ. 
Hence  it  is  written,  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed 
for  us.  He  gave  himself  a  ransom.  In  him  we 
have  redemption  tlu'ough  his  blood.  He  is  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins.  By  his  death  he  has  made 
an  atonement  for  sin.  Hence  there  is  hope  for 
man.     There  is  salvation,  because  Christ  has  died. 

2.  This  atonement  is  to  be  received  and  relied  on 
by  faith.  The  provision  is  to  be  partaken  of,  the 
bread  of  life  eaten,  the  feast  kept.  In  this  atone- 
ment let  me  beseech  you  to  put  your  trust ;  on  this 
Saviour  cast  your  souls ;  believe,  that  you  may  be 
saved. 

3.  The  atoning  death  of  Christ  should  be  cele- 
brated. Why  should  it  not  be  ?  What  event  in 
the  world's  history  more  worthy  of  commemoration 
than  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  And  when  he  has 
said,  This  do  in  remembrance^  of  me,  shall  we  not 
do  this  ?  Christ  our  passover  being  sacrificed  for 
us,  shall  we  not  keep  the  feast  ?  Shall  we  not  con- 
nect with  his  death  and  with  our  faith  in  him  a  life 
devoted  to  his  service — a  life  of  trust — a  life  of 
obedience  ? 


40  OUR    PASSOV^t. 

4.  The  commemoration  of  this  event — the  death 
of  Christ — shoukl  have  an  abiding  influence  upon 
us.  The  okl  leaven  of  a  corrupt  nature,  and  the 
leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  should  be  purged 
out,  never  more  to  be  admitted.  The  unleavened 
bread  of  sincerity  and  truth  should  ever  abide  with 
us — through  all  our  life-festival.  When  we  go  from 
this  ordinance,  and  from  every  act  of  worship,  we 
should  not  forget  its  solemnities,  but  carry  its  hal- 
lowed influence  with  us  in  all  the  walks  and  business 
of  life,  and  thus  perpetuate  the  feast  w^hile  life 
lasts.  Christ  is  our  passover ;  and  for  us  to  live  is 
Chi-ist ;   and  then  to  die  will  be  gain. 

5.  Let  sinners  avail  themselves  of  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ.  He  has  opened  the  way  of  salvation  to 
you,  reader,  and  he  invites  you  to  enter  it.  Listen 
to  his  voice ;  enter,  and  enter  now,  that  you  may 
be  saved ! 

Symn. 

"  Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts 
On  Jewish  altars  slain, 
Could  give  the  guilty  conscience  peace. 
Or  wash  away  the  stain. 

"  But  Christ,  the  heavenly  Lamb, 
Takes  all  our  sins  away : 
A  sacrifice  of  nobler  name. 
And  richer  blood  than  they. 

"  My  faith  would  lay  her  hand 
On  that  dear  head  of  thine. 
While  like  a  penitent  I  stand, 
And  there  confess  my  sin. 


CIIllIST    OUU    PASSU VJJll,  41 

"  My  soul  looks  back  to  see 

The  burdens  thou  didst  bear, 
When  hanging  on  the  cursed  tree, 
And  hopes  her  guilt  was  there. 

"Believing,  wo  rejoice 

To  see  the  curse  remove; 
We  bless  the  Lamb  with  cheerful  voice, 
And  sing  his  bleeding  love." 
4  * 


42  OUR   PASSOVER. 


II. 
THE  GHEAT  TBIN^GS    OF  THE  ZAW. 

I  have  written  to  him  the  great  things  of  my  law,  but  they  were 
counted  as  a  strange  thing. — Ilosca  viii.  12. 

Great  things  accounted  strange.  .     < 

This  is  brought  as  a  serious  charge  against 
Ephraim,  or  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel.  They  had 
broken  off  from  the  other  two  tribes,  and  instead  of 
^yorshipping  the  true  God,  had  turned  away  after 
idols.  They  set  up  altars  to  their  false  gbds,  and 
delighted  in  serving  them.  This  their  way  was  their 
folly  and  their  sin  ;  and  it  was  declared  that  their 
conduct  was  peculiarly  sinful,  and  should  bring  upon 
them  the  righteous  displeasure  of  their  neglected 
and  injured  Maker.  Because  Ephraim  hath  made 
many  altars  to  sin,  altars  shall  be  unto  him  to  sin. 
I  have  written  to  him  the  great  things  of  my  law, 
but  they  were  counted  as  a  strange  thing.  They 
sacrifice  flesh  for  the  sacrifices  of  mine  offerings, 
and  eat  it ;  but  the  Lord  accepteth  them  not ;  now 
will  he  remember  their  iniquity,  and  visit  their  sins : 
they  shall  return  to  Egypt — they  shall  be  punished. 
For  Israel  hath  forgotten  his  Maker, — Hos.  viii. 
11-14 ;  accounted  great  things  strange  things. 


THE   GREAT   THINGS   OF   THE   LAW.  43 

Great  Things  of  the  Ltiw. 

It  is  proposed  to  consider  some  of  the  great  tilings 
of  the  law  written  to  Israel  and  how  they  were 
counted  as  a  strange  thing.  The  laws  of  the  Jews, 
which  are  the  laws  of  God,  are  divided  into  moral 
and  positive.  The  positive  are  subdivided  into 
ceremonial  and  judicial.  The  judicial  laws  of  the 
Jews  relate  to  political  matters,  and  need  not  be 
brought  into  view  in  this  discussion.  Our  attention 
will  be  confined  to  the  great  things  of  the  moral  and 
ceremonial  laws  of  the  Jews ;  and  may  the  Great 
Lawgiver  teach  us,  that  we  may  not  err ;  may  he 
guide  us  into  all  truth,  and  help  us  to  love  his  law, 
to  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man. 
the  renewed  heart.  May  he  so  help  us  that  we  may 
never  couut  the  great  things  of  the  law  a  strange 
thing  I 

The  Moral  Zaiv. 

In  the  first  place,  we  are  to  consider,  for  our  in- 
struction, the  greJit  things  of  the  moral  law.  I  have 
written  to  him  the  great  things  of  my  law,  the  great 
things  of  the  moral  law.  The  Avord  moral  literally 
has  respect  to  the  manners  of  men;*  but  when  ap- 

*  Much  in  these  passes  may  be  fouml  in  FisnEu's  Catkciusm, 
published  by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication.  The  language 
of  that  work  is  also  used  to  some  extent,  without  quotation  marks, 
this  general  acknowledgment  being  deemed  sufficient.  It  is  thought 
many  may  like  to  see  in  a  small  comiiass  what  is  there  scattered 
over  several  pages,  especially  as  ail  may  nut  have  access  to  that  ex- 
cellent book. 


44  OUR    PASSOVER. 

plied  to  the  law,  it  signifies  that  which  is  perpetually 
binding,  in  opposition  to  that  which  is  binding  only 
for  a  time.  The  moral  law  is  summarily  compre- 
hended in  the  ten  commandments  ;  but  a  fair  copy 
of  it  was  originally  written  upon  the  heart  and 
mind  of  man  at  his  first  creation ;  because  he  was 
made  after  the  image  of  God.  This  law,  written  on 
the  heart,  is  sometimes  called  the  law  of  nature,  be- 
cause it  is  that  necessary,  unalterable  rule  of  right 
and  wrong,  founded  in  the  infinitely  holy  and  just 
nature  of  God,  and  whereunto  men,  as  reasonable 
creatures,  cannot  but  be  indispensably  bound.  This 
law,  written  on  the  heart  of  man  when  created  in 
the  image  of  God,  is  the  natural  instinct  of  the 
reasonable  creature,  implanted  in  the  soul  by  God 
himself.  This  law  can  never  be  entirely  obliterated, 
for  all  men  have  innate  principles  of  right  and 
wrong,  implanted  in  their  natures.  Yet  it  has  be- 
come corrupted,  perverted,  and  obscured  by  the  fall, 
so  that  it  is  insufficient  to  guide  men  in  the  path  of 
duty  here,  and  of  course  insufficient  to  conduct  them 
to  eternal  life  hereafter.  Although  God  inscribed 
his  law  on  the  heart  of  man  when  he  created  him, 
yet,  because  of  the  introduction  of  sin,  it  became 
necessary  for  God  to  write  to  him  in  another  form 
the  great  things  of  his  law.  This  he  did  in  the  ten 
commandments.  When  and  how  these  were  given, 
you  may  read  in  Exodus,  chapters  xix.  and  xx. 
From  the  remarks  previou.sly  made,  it  may  be  in- 
ferred that  the  moral  law  and  the  law  of  nature  are 


THE    CHEAT    TIIINCiS   OF   THE    LAW,  45 

the  same ;  and  so  they  arc  for  substance.  The  hiw 
of  nature  is  the  law  written  on  man's  heart  when 
created  ;  the  moral  law,  properly  so  called,  is  con- 
tained in  the  ten  commandments.  Although  the 
same  duties,  which  are  contained  in  the  law  of 
nature,  are  prescribed  also  in  the  moral  law ;  yet 
tlTerc  is  this  difference,  that  in  the  law  of  nature, 
there  is  nothing  but  what  is  moral,  that  is,  of  per- 
petual obligation ;  but  in  the  moral  law,  there  is 
something  also  that  is  positive,  namely,  the  means 
of  Avorship,  and  circumscribing  the  particular  day 
for  the  observation  of  the  Sabbath.  That  God  is  to 
be  worshipped,  is  a  dictate  of  the  law  of  nature ; 
and  this  is  a  moral  law,  perpetually  binding ;  but 
the  manner  of  his  worship  must  depend  on  Jiis  will, 
and  he  may  change  it  as  he  pleases — he  may  require 
men  to  offer  sacrifices,  as  he  did  the  Jews ;  or  he  may 
dispense  with  them,  as  he  now  does.  Again,  if  God 
is  to  be  worshipped,  then  some  particular  time  must 
be  set  apart  for  his  worship.  This  is  a  dictate  of 
the  law  of  nature,  perpetually  binding ;  but  what 
time,  must  depend  on  his  will,  and  he  may  change  it 
as  he  pleases.  Under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  he 
may  require  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day  of 
the  week,  and  under  the  gospel,  the  observance  of 
the  first  day  as  the  Sabbath.  Hence  the  law  of  the 
Sabbath  is  partly  moral  and  partly  positive.  That 
a  Sabbath  should  be  observed,  that  is,  a  day  set 
apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  is  a  moral  law,  per- 
petually binding ;  but  that  it  should  now  be  the  first 


46  OUR   PASSOVER. 

day  of  the  "week  to  be  thus  observed,  is  a  positive 
law,  depending,  for  its  authority,  upon  the  will  of 
the  Divine  Lawgiver.  It  is  proper,  however,  that  the 
law  of  the  Sabbath,  being  in  its  essential  part  moral, 
should  have  a  place  in  the  moral  law ;  and  the  fact 
that  it  is  placed  there  by  infinite  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, teaches  that  it  may  not  be  innocently  disre- 
garded, and  will  never  be  abrogated.  While  time 
endures  we  shall  be  bound  to  remember  the  Sabbath 
day  to  keep  it  holy.  In  this  respect  God  has  written 
to  us  the  great  things  of  his  law,  and  we  must  be- 
ware how  we  count  them  as  a  strange  thing !  If 
thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  Sabbath,  from 
doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day  ;  and  call  the 
Sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable ; 
and  shalt  honour  him,  not  doing  thine  own  ways, 
nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine 
own  words :  then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the 
Lord  ;  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the  high 
places  of  the  earth,  and  feed  thee  with  the  heritage 
of  Jacob  thy  father :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it. — Isa.  Iviii.  13,  14. 

Tlie  Mtile  and  the  Meason, 

Now  the  moral  law  must  not  only  be  regarded  as 
the  rule  of  our  obedience,  but  also  as  the  reason 
thereof.  W^must  not  only  do  what  is  commanded 
in  the  law,  and  avoid  what  is  forbidden  therein ; 
but  we  must  also  do  good,  for  this  very  reason,  that 
God  requires  it ;  and  avoid  evil,  because  he  forbids 


THE    (IKKAT    THINGS    OF    THE    LAW.  47 

it.  I  am  the  Lord  your  God:  yc  shall  therefore 
keep  my  statutes,  and  my  judgments. — Lev.  xviii. 
4,  5,  As  to  the  duties  required  in  the  law,  they 
are  just  and  reasonable  in  their  own  nature,  ante- 
cedently to  any  divine  precept  about  them,  being 
founded  ia  the  very  holiness  and  wisdom  of  God, 
and  growing  out  of  our  relations  to  him  and  to  each 
other.  Hence  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  command- 
ment holy,  and  just,  and  good. — Rom.  vii.  12.  It 
commends  itself  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the 
sight  of  God.  It  coincides  with  our  sense  of  right 
and  wi'ong.  Yet  its  claims  conflict  with  the  natural 
inclinations  of  our  corrupt  hearts.  By  nature  we 
have  no  love  for  the  law,  any  more  than  we  luyve 
for  its  great  Author,  for  we  are  sinners.  We  disre- 
gard the  law.  We  hate  it.  .We  esteem  it  a  strange 
thing,  or  we  make  ourselves  strangers  to  its  holy 
and  spiritual  requisitions.  So  did  the  Jews,  and 
exposed  themselves  to  its  curse.  To  that  curse  we 
are  exposed ;  for  it  is  written.  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them. — Gal.  iii.  10.  . 

liedvutption  ycrotisiify. 

It  was  needful  that  Christ  should  come  to  redeem 
them  and  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  That  curse 
is  eternal  death — a  great  thing  and  a  <biirful  thing. 
It  was  the  moral  law  that  Christ  came  to  honour  ; 
it  Avas  the  curse  of  this  hiAV  that  he  bare  foa*  us ; 
and  from  .this   curse   that  he  redeems  his  people, 


48  OUR   PASSOVER. 

being  made  a  curse  for  tlicm. — Gal.  iii.  13.  lie 
came  not  to  mend  the  law,  nor  to  give  a  new  law ; 
but  to  honour  the  old,  and  deliver  his  chosen  from 
its  penalty.  He  acted  the  part  of  an  interpreter 
and  defender  of  the  law,  but  not  of  a  new  lawgiver, 
as  is  evident  from  his  explaining  the  law,  and  vin- 
dicatino;  It  in  his  sermon  on  the  mount  from  the  cor- 
rupt  glosses  that  were  put  upon  it.  When  he  said, 
A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love 
one  another,  he  intended  only  to  enforce  the  sub- 
stance of  the  old  law  by  the  new  motive  and  ex- 
ample of  his  unparalleled  love  to  us,  imported  in 
the  words  immediately  following :  As  I  have  loved 
you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another. — Jol\{i  xiii,  34. 
The  apostle  gives  expression  to  this  new  motive 
when  he  says.  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth 
us ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for- 
all,  then  were  all  dead:  and  that  he  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto 
themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and 
rose  again. — 2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. 

Christ  Died. 

Jesus  Christ  has  loved  us  with  a  love  stronger 
than  death.  He  laid  down  his  life  for  us.  Ho  died 
for  our  sins.  The  sacrifice  which  he  then  made  is 
a  perfect  ailQ  sufficient  sacrifice.  On  him  was  laid 
the  iniquity  of  us  all.  By  his  obedience,  sufferings, 
and  death,  he  has  made  an  atonement  for  sin  which 
satisfies  the  claims  of  the  divine  law,  satisfies  per- 


THE    GREAT   THINGS   OF   THE    LAW.  49 

feetly  the  justice  of  God.  This  atonement  is  of  in- 
finite vahie.  It  is  sufiicient  for  the  worhl ;  yea,  for 
ten  thousand  workis,  "svere  such  the  purpose  and  the 
pleasure  of  God.  It  couhl  not  be  more  vahiable, 
for  it  is  infinite ;  and  must,  therefore,  be  suflfieient — 
sufiicient  for  all.  It  is,  moreover,  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  all.  Just  such  provision  is  made  by  Christ 
and  in  him,  as  every  sinner  needs.  In  Christ  every 
sinner  may  find  a  Saviour  adapted  to  his  necessities. 
Hence  the  atonement  is  adapted  to  all.  It  is,  more- 
over, available  to  all ;  that  is,  there  is  nothing  in  its 
nature  to  exclude  any  from  its  benefits  who  are 
really  desirous  to  partake  of  them.  It  is  freely 
off"ered  to  all ;  and  it  is  declared,  Whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  the  Avater  of  life  freely. — Rev.  xxii.  17. 
It  follows  that,  as  the  atonement  is  suflfieient  for  all, 
and  adapted  to  all,  and  available  to  all,  and  oifcred 
to  all,  they  who  die  in  their  sins  must  be  without 
excuse.  There  is  nothing  in  the  atonement,  nothing 
in  the  plan  of  salvation,  which  can  be  the  reason 
why  they  perish.  We  must  look  for  that  reason  in 
their  own  corrupt  hearts.  They  wilfully  and  sinfully 
reject  oflered  mercy ;  they  account  the  great  things 
of  the  law,  and  of  the  gospel  too,  a  strange  thing, 
and  remain  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel, 
and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having 
no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world. — Eph.  ii. 
12.  In  the  sinner's  own  heart,  then,  we  find  the 
reason  why  he  perishes ;  it  is  because  of  his  sins, 
and  for  this  cause  he  is  foreordained  to    eternal 

5 


50  OUK    PASSOVER. 

wrath.  He  is  not  made  on  purpose  to  be  damned, 
but  damned  on  purpose  43ecause  lie  is  a  sinner. 
This  may  be  a  great  thing,  but  surely  we  should  not 
count  it  a  strange  thing.  Hath  not  the  potter  power 
over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel 
unto  honour,  and  another  unto  dishonour  ?  What 
if  God,  willing  to  shew  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his 
power  known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the 
vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction :  and  that  he 
might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the 
vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto 
glory,  even  us,  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the 
Jews  only,  but  also  of  the  Gentiles  ? — Rom.  ix. 
18-24. 

Wliy  any  Perish. 

It  seems,  then,  that  Ave  can  account  very  well  for 
the  perdition  of  them  that  perish.  Although  there 
is  an  infinite — an  all-sufficient — atonement,  they  do 
not  accept  it  when  offered  to  them,  and  they  die  be- 
cause they  come  not  to  Christ.  And  whether  any 
other  doctrine  in  the  Christian  system  can  be  ex- 
plained, or  accounted  for,  or  not,  this  one  thing  I 
am  persuaded  is  too  clear  to  be  doubted  or  denied, 
— that  tJiet/  toJio  j^erish  are  without  excuse.  Let, 
then,  this  principle  be  settled ;  and  let  us  be  fully 
persuaded  that  if  Ave  perish,  we  can  blame  none  but 
ourselves.  Then  let  us  work  out  our  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,  and  see  to  it  that  we  make 
our  calling;  and   election    sure.     AAvake  thou  that 


THE    GREAT   THINGS    OF   TlIK    LAW.  51 

sleepest,  and  arise  from  tlic  dead,  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  light. — Eph.  v.  14. 

W/ii/  <itt>j  are  Saved. 

But  if  we  are  saved,  -what  then?  Shall  we  owe 
it  to  ourselves  ?  How  shall  we  account  for  the  salva- 
tion of  those  who  are  saved?  Is  it  because  they 
are  better  by  natui'e  than  others  ?  or  better  by  prac- 
tice? or  because  they  of  themselves  repent  and  be- 
lieve, or  change  their  own  hearts  and  sanctify  their 
own  souls?  Far  from  it.  How  then  is  it  to  be  ac- 
counted for?  "We  have  seen  that  the  atonement 
is  sufficient  for  all,  adapted  to  all,  availal)le  for  all, 
offered  to  all,  yet  all  are  not  saved.  Though  the 
atonement  is  sufficient  for  all,  yet  it  is  clear  that  it  is 
not  efficient  to  all.  Yet  it  is  efficient  to  some,  and 
this  is  the  thing  to  be  accounted  for.  Some  are 
saved,  how  shall  we  account  for  it  ?  We  must  go  to 
the  Bible,  and  we  must  submit  to  the  teachings  of 
the  Bible.  Well,  what  does  the  Bible  teach  in  re- 
gard to  this  great  thing  ?  When  we  open  this  sacred 
volume,  and  look  for  light  on  this  dark  point,  we 
are  directed  by  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  to  the  pur- 
pose of  God  according  to  electiou.  We  read  that 
the  people  of  Christ  were  given  to  him  by  the 
Father  as  a  seed  to  serve  him ;  that  they  are  chosen 
in  him,  that  is,  in  Christ,  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world — according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him 
before  the  foundation  of  the  Avorld. — Eph.  i.  4. 
Chosen  us  in  him — chosen   in    Christ.     It   seems, 


<52  OUR    PASSOVER. 

then,  that  they  who  are  saved  were  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  world  began.  To  these,  then,  the  Father 
had  speciali-egard  in  the  plan  of  redemption,  for  he 
gave  them  to  his  Son ;  to  these  the  Son  had  special 
regard  in  his  work,  for  they  are  the  sheep  for  whom 
he  gave  his  life ;  and  to  these  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
special  regard  in  applying  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
death.  For  these  Christ  was  a  substitute  and 
surety ;  and  his  sufi"erings  were  a  true  and  proper 
substitution  for  what  they  deserved  to  sufier,  and 
must  have  suffered,  had  he  not  died  for  them  and  in 
their  stead.  Hence  the  atonement  which  he  made 
secures  their  salvation;  because  they  were  given 
him  of  the  Father,  he  had  special  reference  to  them 
in  his  work,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  carries  out  the 
scheme  of  mercy  by  renewing  their  hearts  and  ap- 
plying to  them  the  'benefits  purchased  by  atoning 
blood.  Christ  purchased  for  them  the  Spirit;  and 
it  is  because  the  Spirit  gives  them  a  new  heart  that 
they  repent  and  believe.  Theii'  salvation,  therefore, 
is  all  of  grace,  and  must  be  traced  back  to  the 
electing  love  of  God.  -And  while  eternal  ages  roll 
on,  they  will  cry,  Grace^  grace  unto  it. 

"  Grace  first  contrived  the  way 
To  save  rebellious  man  ; 
And  all  the  steps  that  gi'ace  display, 
Which  drew  the  wondrous  plan." 

God's  Pleasure. 

If  it  be  asked  why  God  chooses  some  and  not 
others,  it  may  be  answered,  Avhy  did  he  choose  any  ? 


THE    (JllKAT    TlllNCS    01''    THE    LAW.  53 

Why  docs  he  save  any?  lie  was  under  no  obliga- 
tion to  save  any;  he  might  have  ]qft  oil  to  perish; 
and  may  he  not  have  mercy  on  whom  he  will,  and 
do  what  he  pleases  Avith  his  own,  when  none  perish, 
and  none  are  punished,  but  because  of  their  sins? 
Nay,  but,  0  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
Cod?  Shall  the  thin";  formed  say  to  him  that 
formed  it,  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus? — Rom.  ix. 
18-21.  This  is  one  of  the  great  things  which  he 
chooses  not  to  explain;  and  it  becomes  us  to  say, 
Even  so,  for  so  it  secmeth  good  in  thy  sight.  The 
fact  that  some  are  chosen  and  others  not,  alters  not 
our  duty.  Salvation  is  to  be  freely  offered  to  all; 
and  all  who  have  the  offer  made  them  are  bound  to 
accept  it,  and  if  they  refuse,  it  is  at  their  peril. 
Header,  the  offer  is  made  to  you !  In  the  name  of 
Christ,  I  offer  3'ou  salvation ;  I  offer  it  to  you  freely, 
without  money  and  without  price ;  and  I  assure  you 
that  if  you  come  to  Christ,  you  shall  in  no  wise  be 
cast  out.  Now  do  you  say  to  me,  "I  may  not  be 
elected,  and  I  do  not  know,  therefore,  whether  I  shall 
be  accepted  or  not?"  I  answci-  that  I  have  nothing  to 
do  with  that  matter,  and  you  have  nothing  to  do  with 
it.  Your  business  is  to  come  to  Christ,  and  to  come 
to-day,  right  where  you  arc,  and  to  come  now;  and 
when  you  come  and  are  rejected,  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  say  you  were  not  elected.  You  say  you 
may  not  be  elected,  and  therefore  may  not  be  re- 
ceived if  you  come  to  Clu-ist ;  I  say  to  you  in  the 
words  of  Jesus  Christ  himself, — Him  that  cometh  to 
5  * 


54  OUR    PASSOVER. 

me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  John  vi.  37.  Now 
will  you  contrQjdict  the  blessed  Redeemer?  May 
not  be  received  ?  But  Christ  says  you  shall  be  re- 
ceived; that  he  will  give  you  rest.  Not  received? 
Why  you  might  just  as  well  say,  God  knows 
whether  I  shall  be  saved  or  not;  so  it  is  certain,  or 
else  he  could  not  know  it,  and  if  certain  one  way  or 
the  other,  why  no  anxiety  of  mine  about  it  can  alter 
the  matter ;  then  why  should  I  be  concerned  ?  Why 
concerned?  Because  your  soul  is  in  danger.  Its 
eternity  is  at  stake.  You  must  be  concerned  or  die 
in  your  sins.  Remember,  God's  knowledge,  and 
God's  purposes,  are  not  the  rule  of  your  duty. 
Your  duty  is  made  known  in  the  Bible;  and  you 
must  do  it,  or  you  will  perish  in  your  sins,  and  that 
justly.  So  the  Bible'  teaches ;  and  so  you  must  do 
or  die! 

You  see,  then,  that  the  views  advanced  do  not 
hinder  from  urging  men  everywhere  to  flee  imme- 
diately to  Christ  for  life  and  salvation.  This  is  our 
duty;  and  again  I  point  you  to  Christ  and  beseech 
you  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  you.  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God !  Look  and  live !  Do  you  again 
say,  "I  have  a  wicked  heart;  I  cannot  change  my 
own  heart;  if  God  do  not  please  to  give  me  faith  and 
repentance,  I  cannot  help  it;  I  am  altogether  de- 
pendent upon  him?"  Dependent,  and  you  can't 
help  it !  I  want  to  put  a  question  directly  to  your 
heart, — Do  you  feel  perfectly  innocent  Avhile  making 
this  objection?     Does  not  something  whisper,   "I 


f 

THE  GREAT  THINGS  OF  THE  LAW.      55 

have  not  tried  to  help  it?"  Ah,  did  you  truly  feel 
your  helplessness  and  dependence,  ther^  might  be 
some  hope.  Then  you  would  begin  to  ask  God  for 
help;  you  would  cry  then,  "God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner!"  Oh,  that  you  would  thus  cry!  I  know, 
reader,  that  you  are  helpless ;  I  know  you  are  depen- 
dent upon  divine  grace ;  and  I  would  to  God  you 
might  be  truly  sensible  of  it !  Did  you  but  feel  it 
as  you  ought,  you  would  begin  now,  right  where 
you  are,  to  call  upon  God  for  help.  Did  you  feel 
that  your  salvation  is  altogether  in  the  hands  of 
God,  and  that  he  might  justly  send  you  to  hell  at 
any  moment,  you  would  not  rest,  you  would  not 
give  sleep  to  your  eyes^  norslumber  to  your  eyelids, 
till  you  had  evidence  of  acceptance  with  him.  Yet 
so  it  is ;  you  are  in  his  hands ;  your  salvation  is  sus- 
pended upon  his  sovereign  pleasure;  he.may  cut 
you  off  in  a  moment ;  and  will  you  yet  dare  to  offend 
him?  AVill  you  reject  his  Son?  Will  you  resist 
and  grieve  his  Spirit  ?  Will  you  refuse  to  call  upon 
his  name?  And  when  he  has  given  you  the  great 
things  of  his  law  and  gospel,  will  you  esteem  them 
a  strange  tiling?  Reader,  there  is  danger,  for  our 
God  is  a  consuming  fire !  Heb.  xii.  29. 

The  Law  rrcnched. 

The  great  things  of  the  law  are  to  be  preached, 
that  men  may  see  their  utter  impotence  and  inability 
to  attain  justification  by  the  deeds  thereof;  and  thus 
it  is  a  school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  that 


56  OUR    PASSOVER, 

they  may  be  justified  by  faith.  It  is  spiritual  in  its 
demands;  it  requires  spotless  holiness  of  nature, 
perfect,  personal,  and  perpetual  obedience  in  this  life, 
and  full  satisfaction  for  sin,  which  none  of  mankind 
being  capable  of,  they  are  shut  up  to  the  ho2:)e  of 
the  gospel;  for  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.  Rom. 
X.  4.  It  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  Gal.  iii.  10.  To  this 
curse  we  are  all  by  nature  exposed;  condemned, 
and  under  the  curse,  how  may  we  be  delivered  from 
it?  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us ;  so  that,  believing  in 
him,  we  are  delivered  from  the  curse,  and  are  freed 
from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  life,  and  are  under  it 
only  as  a  rule  of  life.  Gal.  iii.  11-14,  21-23.  As- 
to  unbelievers,  the  law  is  intended  to  teach  them 
their  need  of  Christ  and  lead  them  to  him  for  life 
and  salvation ;  as  to  believers,  it  is  of  use  to  excite 
them  to  express  their  gratitude  and  thankfulness  to 
Christ  for  his  fulfilling  it  as  a  covenant  in  their 
f<tead ;  by  their  studying  conformity  thereto,  both  in 
their  hearts  and  lives,  as  the  rule  of  their  obedience. 
]3o  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God 
forbid:  yea,  we  establish  the  law.  Rom.  iii.  31. 
The  law  does  not  abolish,  but  it  establishes  the  law ; 
hence  it  is  to  be  preached,  and  its  great  things  must 
not  be  strange  to  us.  Jesus  Christ  has  taken  our 
law-place,  and  borne  its  penalty  for  us.     Because  he 


TUE   GREAT   THINGS    OF   THE    LAW.  57 

died,  "we  may  live.  "  If  Christ  be  not  the  substitute, 
lie  is  nothing  to  the  sinner.  If  he  did  not  die  as  the 
sin-bearer,  he  has  died  in  vain.  Let  us  not  be  de- 
ceived on  tliis  point,  nor  misled  by  those  who,  , 
when  they  announce  Christ  as  the  deliverer,  think 
they  have  preached  the  Gospel.  If  I  throw  a  rope 
to  a  drowning  man,  I  am  a  deliverer.  But  is  Christ 
no  more  than  that?  If  I  cast  myself  into  the  sea, 
and  risk  my  life  to  save  another,  I  am  a  deliverer. 
But  is  Christ  no  more?  Did  he  but  risk  his  life? 
The  very  essence  of  Christ's  deliverance  is  the  sub- 
stitution of  himself  for  us,  his  life  for  ours.  He 
shed  his  blood  for  us.  Believing  what  God  has 
testified  concerning  this  blood,  we  become  one  with 
Jesus  in  his  death ;  and  thus  we  are  counted  in  law, 
and  treated  by  God  as  men  who  have  paid  the 
whole  penalty,  and  so  been  washed  from  their  sins 
in  his  blood.  Though  above  law  in  himself,  Christ 
was  made  under  the  law  for  us,  and  by  the  ^^carious 
law-keeping  of  his  spotless  life,  as  well  as  by  the 
endurance  unto  death  of  that  law's  awful  penalties, 
we  are  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the  law."  He 
is  our  Substitute.  He  obeyed  the  law  for  us;  he 
endured  the  curse  for  us ;  obeyed  and  died  in  our 
stead ;  and  thus  he  delivered  us  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  1  Thess.  i.  10. 

Tlie  Ceretnonial  T^aw. 

Having  dwelt  thus  long  on  the  moral  law,  a  few 
words  may  now  be  said  of  the.  ceremonial  law.     I 


58  OUR   PASSOVER. 

have  written  to  him  the  great  things  of  my  law — of 
the  ceremonial  law.  This  law  was  a  system  of 
positive  precepts,  about  the  external  Avorship  of 
God  in  the  Old  Testament  church ;  chiefly  designed 
to  typify  Christ,  as  then  to  come,  and  to  lead  them 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation  through 
him.  Of  this  law  the  principal  ceremonies  were 
such  as  respected  sacred  persons,  places,  and  things. 
A  few  words  of  each  : — 

Sacred  Persons. 

The  chief  sacred  person  among  the  Jews  was  the 
high  priest.  He  was  a  type  of  Christ  in  being  con- 
secrated with  a  plentiful  effusion  of  the  holy  anointing 
oil,  typifying  the  unmeasurable  communication  of 
the  Spirit  unto  Christ ;  and  his  bearing  the  names 
of  the  children  of  Israel  upon  his  shoulder  and  in 
the  breastplate,  signifying  that  Christ  is  the  repre- 
sentative and  substitute  of  all  his  spiritual  seed,  and 
hath  their  concerns  continually  at  heart.  And  as 
the  high  priest  offered  sacrifices,  so  did  Christ  offer 
himself  a  sacrifice ;  as  the  high  priest  entered  the 
holy  of  holies  and  burned  incense  there,  so  Christ 
has  entered  heaven,  where  he  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  us.  For  Christ  is  not  entered  into 
the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  which  are  the' 
figures  of  the  true ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to 
appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us :  nor  yet  that 
he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high  priest 
entereth  into  the  holy  place  every  year  with  blood 


THE   GREAT   THINGS    OF   THE    LAW.  69 

of  Others  :  for  then  must  he  often  have  suffered 
since  the  founihition  of  the  worhl :  but  now  once  in 
the  end  of  the  world  hatli  he  appeared  to  put  away 
sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  lleb.  ix«6-12,  24- 
28.  Because  the  Jews  had  a  high  priest,  some  think 
the  Christian  church  should  have  diocesan  bishops ; 
but  Jesus  Christ  is  our  great  high  priest ;  he  is  the 
great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls,  who  was  typi- 
hc<l  by  the  high  priest,  and  the  substance  being 
come,  we  no  longer  need  the  shadow.  If,  because 
the  JcAvs  had  a  high  priest,  we  should  have  a  corres- 
ponding office  in  the  Christian  church,  then,  it  is 
])lain,  we  should  have  a  pope ;  for  the  Jews  had  but 
one  high  priest  at  once,  and  how  this  can  justify  a 
great  many  diocesans,  I  cannot  see  !  The  truth  is, 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Bishop  and  Head  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  ;  and  the  high  priest  among  the  Jews 
was  but  a  type  of  him ;  and  now  the  antitype  is 
come,  why  do  we  need  the  type  or  the  shadow  ?  We 
do  not.  We  shoukl  bless  God  for  the  substance  ; 
and  Jesus  Christ  being  our  high  priest,  we  should 
avail  ourselves  of  his  atonement,  and  so  make  our 
peace  with  God.  Let  us  not  esteem  this  great  thing 
of  the  ceremonial  law  a  strange  thing,  for  how  shall 
we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  "great  salvation?  Heb. 
ii.  3.  We  have  a  great  high  priest  that  is  passed 
into  the  heavens.  Heb.  iv.  14.  But  this  man,  be- 
cause he  continueth  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable 
priesthood.  *  *  *  *  Pqj.  ^^q]^  ^  high  priest 
became  us.    Ileb.   vii.   2o-28.       And   as  it   is   ap- 


60  OUR    PASSOVER. 

pointed  unto  men  once  to  .die,  but  after  tliis  the 
judgment.  So  Cln-ist  was  once  offered  to  bear  the 
sins  of  many ;  and  unto  them  that  look  for  him  shall 
he  appear  ^le  second  time  without  sin  unto  salvation. 
Heb.  ix.  24-28, 

Sacred  I'laces. 

The  sacred  places  of  the  ceremonial  law  were  the 
tabernacle  and  temple.  No  description  of  them 
need  be  here  given.  Amongst  other  things,  they 
both  of  them  typified  the  human  nature  of  Christ, 
which  was  assumed  into  union  with  his  divine  nature. 
Thus  he  said,  in  reference  to  his  body,  Destroy  this 
temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up.  In 
these  sacred  places,  the  Jews  had  constantly  before 
them,  types  or  emblems  of  the  human  nature  of 
Jesus  Christ  who  was  to  come — silent  but  express- 
ive prophecies  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
God — and  yet  how  often  they  despised  these  great 
things  of  the  law,  and  counted  them  as  strange 
things,  turning  away  after  idols ;  and  when  the  Son 
of  God  became  incarnate,  taking  our  nature  upon 
him — made  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh — they 
despised  and  rejected  him  and  put  him  to  the  shame- 
ful death  of  the  cross  !  Beware  of  their  unhappy 
example,  and  despise  not  the  Lord  of  life  !  He 
assumed  our  nature  for  our  sakes :  he  was  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  for  our  redemption ;  and  to 
reject  him  is  to  die  in  sin.  For  Avhat  the  law  could 
not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God 
sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 


THE    (.iRKAT    TIIINtJS    OF    THE    LAW.  til 

and  for  sin — or,  by  a  sacrifice  for  sin — couJemnecl 
sin  in  the  flesh :  that  the  righteousness  of  the'  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit.  Rom.  viii.  3,  4. 

Sacred  Tilings, 

The  sacred  thinn;s  of  the  ceremonial  law  were 
several.  One  of  these  was  the  lavcr,  placed  in  the 
outward  court  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple.  It  was 
a  brazen  vessel  for  holding  water,  made  of  looking- 
glasses,  or  polished  pieces  of  brass,  given  by  the 
women  who  assembled  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle 
of  the  congregation,  as  recorded  in  the  38tli  chapter 
of  Exodus.  It  stood  between  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,  or  holy  place,  and  the  altar,  that 
Aaron  and  his  sons  might  wash  their  hands  aud 
their  feet  thereat,  when  they  went  into  the  taberna- 
cle, or  when  they  came  near  to  the  altar  to  minister, 
under  no  less  penalty  than  death  ;  when  they  went 
unto  the  altar,  or  into  the  tabernacle,  or  holy  place, 
they  were  to  wash  or  die ;  and  this  was  to  point  out 
the  absolute  necessity  of  the  application  of  the  blood 
and  Spirit  of  Christ  unto  the  soul,  as  that  without 
which  there  can  be  no  escaping  of  eternal  death. 
We  must  experience  the  washing  of  regeneration 
and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  perish. 
Ye  must  be  born  again.  They  who  are  in  the  flesh, 
unrenewed,  cannot  please  God.  Regeneration  is 
necessary.  We  must  be  sanctified  as  well  as  justi- 
iioil.     Bitth  the>  e  are  in  Jesus  Christ.     They  are  the 

6 


62  OUR    PASSOVER. 

purchase  of  his  blood,  and  they  come  to  all  to  whom 
that  "blood  is  applied  by  the  Holy  Spirit;  for  he  of 
God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption.  1  Cor.  i.  26-31. 

Sacrific€s, 

There  were  also  sacrifices.  These  Avere  to  be  of 
such  clean  beasts  and  fowls  as  God  appointed  for 
the  purpose.  They  were  to  be  without  blemish, 
which  signified  the  spotless  holiness  of  the  human 
nature  of  Christ,  which  was  sacrificed  for  us.  The 
sins  of  the  offerers  were  to  be  typically  laid  upon 
the  head  of  the  sacrifice,  which  signified  the  laying 
of  the  sins  of  his  people  upon  Christ  and  his  expiat- 
ing them  by  his  death.  The  sacrifice  must  be  slain 
by  the  shedding  of  its  blood,  which  taught  that 
Christ  should  shed  his  blood  for  many  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  for  without  shedding  of  blood  there 
is  no  remission.  Heb.  ix.  22.  The  sacrifice  was 
to  be  consumed  wholly  or  in  part  with  fire  upon  the 
altar,  which  signified  that  the  wholfe  of  that  infinite 
wrath,  which  was  due  to  sinners,  and  would  have 
been  consuming  them  for  ever,  was  poured  out  upon 
the  glorious  surety,  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  endured 
by  him.  The  altar  upon  which  the  sacrifices 
were  offered  and  consumed,  was  the  brazen  altar, 
or  altar  of  burnt-ofiering ;  and  as  the  altar  sanc- 
tifieth  the  gift,  so  this  altar  typified  the  divine 
nature  of  Christ  as  giving  infinite  worth  and  value 
to  the  sacrifice  of  the  human  nature,  because  of  tho 


THE    (!Ui:.\T    TIIIXCJS    OF    THE    LAW.  03 

personal  union  of  the  liiiman  nature  "with  the  divine. 
The  sacrifices  themselves  Avere  types  of  the  human 
nature  of  Christ,  for  it  was  that  nature  which  was 
sacrificed,  suffered,  and  died;  the  altar  on  which  the 
sacrifices  were  ofiered,  was  a  type  of  the  divine  na- 
ture of  Christ,  as  it  was  that  which  sustained  his 
human  nature  and  gave  infinite  value  to  his  sacrifice. 
Now  the  fire  on  the  Jewish  altar  of  burnt-offering 
was  to  be  kept  ever  burning;  and  this  was  to  show 
that  it  Avas  not  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
of  goats  should  take  away  sin,  and  therefore  to  teach 
the  people,  under  that  dispensation,  to  look  to  the 
atoning  blood  of  the  Messiah,  as  that  only  which 
could  quench  the  flame  of  divine  wrath  against  sin, 
and  be  an  offering  and  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet- 
pmelling  savour,  in  which  he  might  eternally  res^^ 
►Thus  the  Jews  were  taught  that  God  is  a  consuming 
fire,  one  who  Avill  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty  with- 
out a  satisfaction  of  his  justice.  But  that  satisfac- 
tion has  been  made.  The  fire  of  divine  wrath,  in 
the  case  of  every  believer,  is  now  quenched  by  the 
blood  of  Christ.  His  blood  satisfi^es  justice  and 
cleanses  from  sin.  This  he  did  once  when  he  offered 
up  himself.  Heb.  vii.  27.  For  by  one  offering  he 
hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified. 
X.  10-17.     Believe  in  him,  that  you  may  be  saved ! 

"  His  blood  can  make  the  foulest  clean ; 
His  blood  availed  for  mo  !" 


64  OUR    PASSOVER. 


Types  and  Shadows. 

Thus  we  find  three  sacred  things  in  the  outer 
court,  the  laver,  the  sacrifices,  and  the  altar  on  which 
they  were  offered.  Now  if  Ave  enter  the  first  part 
of  the  tabernacle,  or  temple,  Ave  shall  find  three  sa- 
cred things  there  also.  One  Avas  the  golden  candle- 
stick, which  taught  that  all  true  spiritual  light  is 
conveyed  unto  the  church  only  from  Christ;  and 
that,  as  the  branches  Avere  supplied  Avith  oil  from 
the  body  of  the  candlestick,  so  all  the  members  are 
supplied  out  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,  for  God  giveth 
not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him.  Another  Avas 
the  table  of  shew-bread,  which  meant  that  in  Christ, 
who  is  the  bread  of  life,  there  is  food  continually  for 
starving  sinners,  and  that  Ave  can  never  come  amiss, 
at  any  time,  to  him  for  supply,  because  in  hiuL-i 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily. 
The  other  was  the  altar  of  incense,  and  the  incense 
which  was  continually  burnt  upon  this  altar,  every 
morning  and  evening,  (after  the  sacrifices  Avere  of- 
fered Avithout  upon  the  altar  of  burnt-offering,) 
typified  the  prevalent  intercession  of  Christ,  founded 
upon  his  meritorious  gblation.  He  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession.  Heb.  vii.  25. 

As  to  the  sacred  things  of  the  holy  of  holies, 
the  Apostle  says.  The  holiest  of  all  had  the  golden 
censer,  and  the  ark  of  the  covenant  Overlaid  round 
about  Avith  gold,  Avherein  Avas  the  golden  pot  that 
had  manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that  budded,  and  the 


THE  GREAT  THINGS  OF  THE  LAW.      G5 

t.iOlcs  of  the  covenant;  and  over  it  the  cherubim  of 
glory,  shadowing  the  mercy-seat.  Ileb.  ix.  1-10. 
As  to  the  goklen  censer,  it  was  not* always  in  the 
holy  of  holies,  but  remained  there  only  while 
the  high  priest  continued  within  the  vail,  sprinkling 
the  blood  of  the  sin-offering  upon  the  mercy-seat 
and  before  it,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  once 
a  year.  The  ark  of  the  covenant  was  a  small  box 
or  chest,  the  lid  or  cover  of  which  was  called  the 
mercy-seat.  The  golden  pot  that  had  manna  was 
not  put  into  the  ark,  but  laid  up  before  it,  and  sig- 
nified the  inexhaustible  provision  of  all  the  spiritual 
blessings  laid  up  in  Christ  for  the  members  of  his 
mystical  body,  the  church.  Aaron's  rod  was  -also 
laid  up  before  the  ark,  and  signified  the  fixed  choice 
that  the  Father  made  of  Christ  to  an  unchangeable 
priesthood.  The  tables  of  the  covenant  were  the 
two  tables  of  stone  on  which  the  ten  commandments 
were  written.  These  were  put  into  the  ark  to  sig- 
nify that  the  law,  whiclv  was  broken  by  the  first 
Adam,  was  put  up  as  fulfilled  in  the  second  Adam, 
that  is,  Christ,  that  there  might  be  no  condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  Rom.  viii.  1-4. 
These  tables  were  called  tables  of  the  covenant,  and 
the  ark  in  which  they  were  put  was  called  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  because  the  ten  commandments, 
wi'itten  on  these  tables,  were  the  matter  of  the  cove- 
nant of  works  made  with  Adam,  as  the  head  of  his 
posterity,  and  the  fulfilment  of  them,  both  in  point 
of  doing  and.  suffering,  was  the  condition  of  the 


Gt)  UUll    PASSUVEII. 

covenant  of  grace,  made  with  Christ,  as  the  Head 
and  Representative  of  his  spiritual  seed;  and  they 
were  also  the  basis  of  the  Jewish  national  covenant 
made  and  ratified  at  Sinai,  as  may  be  seen  in  Ex. 
xxiv.  3-8,  and  Heb.  ix.  18-22.  The  lid  or  cover- 
ing of  the  ark  was  called  the  mercy-seat,  to  intimate 
that  God  is  propitious  and  merciful  to  sinners,  only 
through  the  meritorious  satisfaction  of  Christ.  And 
that  the  mercy-seat  was  a  covering  to  the  tables  of 
the  covenant,  taught  that  the  broken  law  was  so 
honoured  and  so  hid  or  covered  by  the  glorious 
Surety,  who  answered  all  its  demands,  both  as  to 
precept  and  penalty,  that  it  could  accuse  none  be- 
fore God,  who  had  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon 
the  hope  selTbefore  tli^em,  even  Jesus  Christ.  Over 
the  mercy-seat  were  the  cherubim,  to,  represent  the 
ministry  and  service  of  the  holy  angels  to  Christ 
and  his  church.  They  looked  one  to  another  and 
toward  the  mercy-seat;  and  their  looking  one  to 
another  signified  their  perfect  harmony  in  serving 
the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom ;  and  their  looking 
toward  the  mercy-seat  signified  their  desire  to  dive 
with  the  most  profound  veneration  and  wonder  into 
the  adorable  mystery  of  redeeming  love :  these  things 
the  angels  desire  to  look  into. 

Now  into  the  holy  of  holies,  none  might  enter  but 
the  high  priest  alone,  without  any  to  attend  or  assist 
him — and  that  after  the  most  solemn  sacrifices — Ex. 
XXX.  10 ;  Lev.  xvi.  1-34 ;  Ileb.  ix.  7-25 ;  and  herein 
he  was  an  eminent  type  of  Christ,  who  had  the  whole 


TJIE    GREAT    THINGS    OF    THE    h.\^V.  G7 

work  of  redemption  laid  ui)on  liis  shoulder,  and  of 
the  people  there  was  none  with  him.  And  even  the 
high  priest  might  enter  only  once  every  year,  that 
is,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  a  solemn  anniver- 
sary fast  under  the  law.  And  when  he  entered,  he 
was  expressly  required  to  carry  along  Avith  him  the 
blood  of  the  sacrifice,  slain  without  the  tabernacle, 
at  the  altar  of  burnt-oifering,  and  the  golden  censer 
full  of  burning  incense;  without  both  of 'which  he 
might  by  no  means  enter  within  the  most  holy  place. 
And  this  not  only  showed  the  necessity  of  an  atone- 
ment, but  also  typified  the  perpetual  efficacy  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  in  heaven  for  all  the  blessings  and 
benefits  for  which  it  was  shed  on  earth.  For  Christ 
is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands, 
Avhich  are  the  figures  of  the  true ;  but  into  heaven 
itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 
Ileb.  ix.  24-26 ;  vii.  19-28. 

Great  Things  Significant. 

Such  are  some  of  the  great  things  of  the  ceremo- 
nial law  Avhicli  God  wrote  to  Israel.  What  added 
to  their  greatness  and  rendered  them  significant  and 
important,  was  their  constant  reference  to  the  great 
things  of  the  gospel.  Gal.  iii.  8 ;  Heb.  iv.  2.  Yet 
the  Jews  counted  them  as  a  strange  thing,  forsook 
them,  despised  them,  and  gave  themselves  up  to  the 
service  of  idols.  God's  anger  was  kindled  against 
them,  and  he  sent  their  enemies  upon  them  for  their 
chastisement.     And  when  Jesus  Christ,  the  promised 


68  OUR   PASSOVER. 

Messiah,  the  substance  of  all  these  shadows,  came, 
his  own  received  him  not ;  they  rejected  and  crucified 
their  Redeemer,  and  invoked  upon  themselves  and 
their  children  the  vengeance  of  his  blood.  And  it 
came — terrible  in  its  fury — the  nation  was  scattered, 
and  for  these  1800  years  the  anger  of  God  has  burned 
against  them  because  they  counted  the  great  things 
of  the  _  law  a  strange  thing.  The  law  should  have 
prepared  them  for  the  coming  of  Christ ;  but  when 
he  came,  everything  about  him,  and  everything  he 
said  and  did,  either  was  strange  to  them,  or  they  made 
strange  of  it.  They  knew  not  the  things  which  were 
for  their  peace,  and  they  were  hid  from  their  eyes ! 
0  unhappy  people !  So  indebted  to  God,  and  yet 
so  ungrateful !  Having  the  way  of  life  so  clearly 
pointed  out,  yet  perishing  in  their  sins !  What  a 
solemn  warning  to  all  who  read  their  history  or  hear 
their  mournful  story !  He  that  despised  Moses'  law, 
died  without  mercy  under  two  or  three  witnesses :  of 
how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and 
hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  ?  Heb.  x. 
26-29. 

Written,  to  us. 

But,  reader,  has  God  written  nothing  to  us  ?  Has 
he  not  written  to  us  the  great  things  of  his  law, 
taking  the  word  law  in  its  widest  sense,  as  including 
the  whole  of  divine  revelation  ?     Has  he  not  given 


THE    (lUEAT    THINGS    OF    THE    LAW.  09 

to  US  his  word,  revealed  to  us  his  will  ?  And  are 
there  not  great  things  here,  things  great  and  won- 
derful? And  shall  we  make  strange  of  them,  or 
make  ourselves  strangers  to  them?  Is  this  wise? 
Is  it  safe  ?  Does  it  not  beconic  us  to  study  these 
great  things  and  become  famihar  with  them  ?  We 
are  taught  that  we  are  sinners ;  that  there  is  an 
atonement  for  shi,  sufficient,  and  freely  offered  to 
us ;  that  Ave  must  be  justified  by  faith  in  Christ, 
sanctified  by  tlie  Spirit,  and  adopted  into  the  family 
of  God ;  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of'  the 
dead,  and  eternal  rewards  and  punishments.  These 
great  things  and  others  God  has  written  to  us,  and 
if  we  count  them  as  a  strange  thing,  and  seek  not  an 
interest  in  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  cast  off"  as  were 
the  JeAvs,  yea,  we  shall  perish  for  ever !  Come,  then, 
to  the  Lord  Jesus !  In  him  see  fulfilled  all  the  great 
things  of  the  law,  in  him  put  your  trust,  and  on  his 
sacrifice  rely  for  acceptance  Avith  God  and  for  eternal 
life !  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for 
us :  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old 
leaven,  neither  Avith  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wicked- 
ness, but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth.  1  Cor.  v.  6-8. 


JSytnns, 

"  And  see,  the  blest  Redeemer  comes, 
The  eternal  Son  appears, 
And  at  the-appointed  time  assumes 
The  body  God  prepares. 


70  OUll    PABSOVER. 

"  His  Father's  honour  touched  his  heart, 
He  pitied  sinners'  cries, 
And  to  fulDl  a  Saviour's  part, 
Was  made  a  sacrifice. 

"  No  blood  of  beasts  on  altars  shed 
Could  wash  the  conscience  clean  ; 
But  the  rich  sacrifice  he  paid, 
Atones  for  all  our  sin." 


"  Once,  in  the  circuit  of  a  year. 
With  blood,  but  not  his  own, 
Aaron  within  the  veil  appears, 
Before  the  golden  throne. 

"  But  Christ,  by  his  own  powerful  blood, 
Ascends  above  the  skies; 
And,  in  the  presence  of  our  God, 
Shows  his  own  sacrifice." 


"  Dost  thou  look  back  upon  a  life  of  sinning  ? 
Forward,  and  tremble  for  thy  future  lot? 
There's  One  who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning, 
Thy  tear  of  penitence  is  unforgot. 
God  knows  it  all ! 

"Then  go  to  God  !     Pour  out  your  heart  before  him ! 
There  is  no  grief  your  Father  cannot  feel. 
And  let  your  grateful  songs  of  praise  adore  him — 
To  save,  forgive,  and  every  wound  to  heal. 

God  knows  it  all — God  knows  it  all  1" 


FORGIVENESS   WITH   GOD!  71 


III. 
FORGimirEsa  wim  god. 

If  thou,  Lord,  shouklcst  mark  iniquities,  0  Lord,  who  shall  stand? 
But  there  is  lorgiveuess  with  thee,  that  thou  maycstbo  feared. — Pa. 
cxxx.  3,  4. 

Mx2iJ<tnations, 

Job  puts  an  important  question  when  he  asks, 
HoAV  should  man  be  just  with  God  ?  And  Micah 
adds  to  its  interest  and  importance  "vvhen  he  says, 
Wherewith  shall  I  come  before,  the  Lord^  and  bow 
myself  before  the  high  God  ?  Shall  I  come  before 
him  with  burnt-offerings,  with  calves  of  a  year  old  ? 
Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or 
with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?  Shall  I  give 
my  first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my 
body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ?  But  how  can  these 
justify  us  before  God  ?  The  question  remains.  How 
can  sinners  be  accounted  just  ?  How  be  treated  as 
innocent  ?  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquities, 
0  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?  But — and  here  is  our 
hope — there  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou 
mayest  be  feared.  There  is  forgiveness,  because 
Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us  and  the  great 
things  of  the  law  are  fulfilled  in  him ;  yea,  he  has 


72  OUR   PASSOVER. 

answered  the  demands  of  the  law  for  us,  and  hence 
we  may  be  just  in  him. 

To  mark  iniquities  is  to  keep  a  strict  account  of 
them  and  to  reckon  with  the  transgressor  for  them 
according  to  God's  holy  law  and  on  the  principles 
of  strict  justice ;  to  reckon  with  the  transgressor  him- 
self, and  not  with  a  surety  or  substitute.  Should 
God  thus  mark  iniquities,  who,  among  the  sons  of 
men,  could  stand  ?  "  If  thou  shouldest  mark  iniqui- 
ties, that  is,  so  consider  and  observe  them  as  to 
reserve  them  for  punishment  and  vengeance.  *  * 
*  *  In  God's  marking  sin  according  to  the  tenor 
of  the  law,  the  case  is  the  same  with  all  classes  of 
sinners.  *  *  *  *  In  a  sin-perplexed  soul, 
God's  marking  sin  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  laAV, 
fills  the  soul  with  dread  and  terror.  *  *  *  * 
The  marking  here  intended,  implies  animadversion, 
and  punishment  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  law. 
Not  only  the  sentence  of  the  law,  but  a  will  of  pun- 
ishing according  to  it,  is  included  in  it.  If,  saith 
the  Psalmist,  thou,  the  great  and  dreadful  God,  who 
art  extolled  by  thy  glorious  name  Jah,  shouldest 
take  notice  of  iniquities,  so  as  to  recompense  sinners 
that  come  unto  thee  according  to  the  severity  of  thy 
holy  law,  what  then  ?  It  is  answered  by  the  propo- 
sal, Who  can  stand  ?  that  is,  none  can  stand.  No 
man,  not  one  in  the  world,  can  stand  or  abide  the 
trial.  Every  one,  on  this  supposition,  must  perish, 
and  that  eternally.  *  *  *  *  "wq^iQ  g^n  stand  ? 
There  is  a  deep  insinuation  of  a  dreadful  ruin,  as  to 


FORGIVENESS   WITH    GOD.  73 

all  with  Avlioiii  (J 0(1   shall  so  deal  as  to   mark  their 
iniquities. — Ps.  i.  5." 

Vlio  rati  Stand? 

Who  can  stand  ?  To  stand  is  to  be  justified,  or 
acquitted.  The  question  of  the  Psalmist  implies  that 
if  God  were  to  reckon  with  men,  according  to  law, 
on  the  ground  of  merit  or  demerit,  none  could  stand 
tlie  trial  and  be  justified  or  acquitted.  All  would  be 
found  guilt}''  and  be  condemned.  But  he  proceeds 
to  say.  There  is  forgiveness  with  God,  that  he  may 
be  feared,  implying  that  there  is  a  method  of  reckon- 
ing with  God,  by  which  it  is  possible  for  those  who 
avail  themselves  of  it,  to  stand,  be  acquittc;!,  and 
justificd^-possible  for  God  to  be  just,  and  yet  ju^iify 
thom  that  believe.  "  To  stand,  is  to  stand  one'^ 
ground,  maintain  one's  innocence,  and  perhaps  in 
this  case,  to  endure  one's  sentence.  *  *  *  * 
Since  none  can  stand,  our  only  hope  is  in  free  for- 
giveness— the  forgiveness  that  we  need,  the  only  for- 
giveness that  is  available  or  attainable."  "There  is 
forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared. 
To  fear  the  Lord  is  an  expression  comprehensive  of 
liis  whole  worship  and  all  our  duty.  To  this  I  am 
encouraged,  saith  the  Psalmist,  in  my  depths,  because 
there  is  forgiveness  with  thee.  I  will  abide  in  all 
duties,  in  all  the  ways  of  thy  worship,  wherein  thou 
mayest  be  fou-nd.""  "Fear  or  godly  reverence  is 
represented  as  one  fruit  and  evidence  of  pardoned 
sin." 
7 


74:  OUR    PASSOVER. 

trjuit  is  here  Taufjht. 

Some  profitable  lessons  are  here  taught  us.  Among 
them  are  these.  No  one  can  stand  acquitted,  or  be 
accepted  as  just,  on  the  ground  of  his  own  merit  or 
performances,  when  God  reckoneth  with  him ;  hence 
all  need  forgiveness  ;  there  is  forgiveness  with  God ; 
and  God  should  be  feared,  he  should  be  reverenced 
and  served  with  fiUal  affection,  because  there  is  for- 
giveness with  him.  These  lessons  we  should  re- 
member, on  them  we  should  meditate. 

The  First  Ziesson. 

The  first  lesson  to  be  learned  by  us  from  the  words 
of  the  Psalmist  is,  that  no  one  can  stand  acquitted 
by  the  law  of  God,  or  be  accepted  and  justified  on 
the  ground  of  his  own  merit  or  performances,  when 
God  reckoneth  with  him.  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest 
mark  iniquity,  0  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?     Not  one ! 

What  the  Sci^ptures  Teach, 

Not  one !  So  the  Scriptures  teach.  Thus  Job 
says.  If  he  will  contend  with  him,  he  cannot  answer 
him  one  of  a  thousand.  What  then  shall  I  do  when 
God  riseth  up  ?  and  when  he  visiteth,  what  shall  I 
answer  him?  Isaiah  says,  speaking  as  well  of  man's 
moral  disease  as  of  the  corruption  and  misery  of  the 
Jewish  state.  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole 
heart  faint.  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto 
the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it;  but  wounds, 


FORGIVENESS    WITH    (101).  75 

aiul  bruises,  and  putrifying  sores;  tliej  liave  not 
been  closed,  neither  bound  up,  neither  molbfied  with 
ointment.  And  Paul,  in  Romans,  quoting  from 
several  scriptures,  says,  There  is  none  righteous,  no, 
not  one :  there  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is 
none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out 
of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofitable ; 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Their 
tlu-oat  is  an  open  sepulchre ;  with  their  tongues  they 
liave  used  deceit ;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their 
lips  :  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness  : 
their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood :  destruction  and 
misery  are  in  their  ways  :  and  the  way  of  peace  have 
they  not  known  :  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes.  Therefore,  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight.  Rom.  iii.  9-20. 
None  can  stand.     Not  one  ! 

What  Men  Confess. 

No,  not  one!  So  the  best  men  confess.  Says 
Job,  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ; 
but  now  mine  eyes  seeth  thee.  Wherefore  I  abhor 
myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  Moses,  under 
a  deep  sense  of  his  unworthiuess,  exclaims,  Behold, 
I  am  of  uncircumcised  lips.  And  Isaiah,  when  fa- 
voured with  a  heavenly  vision,  said,  Woe  is  me,  for  I 
am  undone;  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and 
I  dwell  in  tlie  midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips;  for 
mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  tlic  Lord  of  hosts. 
Paul  declares,  For  I  knoAV  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my 


.<»  Oni    PASSOVER. 

flpsh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing;  and  he  exclaims,  in 
view  of  his  unworthiness,  0  wretched  man  that  I 
am  I  The  holiest  men  in  all  ages  have  been  most 
sensible  of  their  depravity.  They  have  had  the 
clearest  views  of  the  desperate  wickedness  of  their 
own  hearts,  and  the  entire  demerit  of  their  whole" 
lives.  The  nearer  the  saints  have  approximated  the 
moral  image  of  their  Maker,  the  more  conscious 
have  they  been  of  their  moral  deformity ;  the  nearer 
they  have  advanced  towards  perfection,  the  more 
sensible  have  they  been  of  their  imperfections.  Like 
Paul,  they  have  esteemed  themselves  less  than  the 
least  of  all  saints ;  renounced  all  self-dependence, 
and  relinquished  for  ever  all  hope  of  justification  on 
the  ground  of  their  own  merit  or  performances. 
They  see  nothing  in  themselves  for  which  they  can 
hope  for  divine  acceptance.  With  David  they  ex- 
claim, If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquities,  0 
Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?     Not  one ! 

Season. 

No;  not  onej.  Reason  corroborates  and  confirms 
the  Scripture  and  the  confessions  of  the  best  men. 
The  light  of  nature  teaches  us  something  of  the 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God.  Reason  in 
fers  that  a  being  possessed  of  infinite  wis(Jom,  good- 
ness, and  power,  would  not  leave  his  works  imper- 
fect ;  he  would  not  create  a  world  filled,  as  this  is, 
with  natural  and  moral  evil;  natural  and  moral  evil 
would  have,  originally,  no  place  in  the  works  of  a 


ruUttlVENESS    WITH    liOD.  77 

Being  possessing  infinite  wisrlom,  goodness,  and 
"power.  These  perfections  God  evidently  possesses, 
if  at  all,  in  an  infinite  degree.  Of  course,  all  the 
works  issuing  from  liis  hands  must  be  very  good. 
]iut  how  do  we  see  them  now?  Both  natural  and 
moral  evil  abound.  Man,  the  master-piece  of  divine 
workmanship,  is  subject  to  evils  numberless  and  un- 
speakable. And  why  ?  Because  he  is  not  as  God 
made  him !  Reason,  as  well  as  revelation,  teaches 
US  that  man  is  fallen!  He  is  not  as  he  once  was: 
he  is  a  sinner ;  he  is  fallen !  And  I  ask,  how  can 
a  fallen  being,  as  man  evidently  is,  stand  acquitted, 
on  the  ground  of  his  own  performances,  when  God 
reckoneth  with  him  ?  The  very  fact  that  he  is  fallen 
and  depraved,  precludes  the  idea  of  justification  on 
the  score  of  merit.  If  fallen,  as  experience,  and 
observation,  and  Scripture,  and  reason  prove,  he  is 
destitute  of -merit ;  he  has  nothing  but  his  sinfulness 
and  misery  to  commend  him  to  God,  and  cannot 
stand  when  God  marks  iniquity  against  him,  and 
deals  with  him  according  to  the  tenor  of  his  laAV. 
That  law  demands  constant,  perpetual,  and  perfect 
obedience.  A  single  failure  exposes  t(J  its  curse. 
J^o  subsequent  obedience  can  atone  for  a  single  past 
transgression ;  and  as  all  have  transgressed,  all  are 
condemned ;  and  who  then  can  stand  ?     Not  one ! 

Ttie  Second  Tjcsson. 

No ;  not  one !     Hence  all  need  forgiveness.     This 
follows,  of  course.    If  all  are  sinners  and  condemned ; 


78  ^  OUR    PASSOVER. 

if  no  one  can  stand  acquitted  by  the  law  of  God,  on 
the  ground  of  his  own  merit  or  works,  when  God 
reckoneth  with  him;  then,  of  course,  all  need  par- 
don. There  must  be  some  way  of  forgiveness  de- 
vised, some  way  of  justification  other  than  by 
works,  or  all  are  lost !     Every  one ! 

•  The  Bible. 

All  must  be  lost !  Every  one !  So  the  Scriptures 
teach.  Tor  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God;  of  course,  9.II  need  pardon  and  justifi- 
cation, and  without  it,  they  must  perish.  And  if 
they  cannot  be  pardoned  and  justified  on  the  ground 
of  works,  how  can  this  be  accomplished  ?  IIow  can 
they  be  forgiven  ?  The  following  verses  teach  us : 
All  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God ; 
being  justified  freely — not  by  works,  not  by  any- 
thing done  by  us,  nor  for  anything  done  in  us — 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus:  Avhom  God  hath  set  forth,  or  fore- 
ordained, as  the  margin  reads,  to  be  a  propitiatio;n 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
ness for  tlTe  remissioif  of  sins  that  are  past,  through 
the  forbearance  of  God;  to  declare,  I  say,  at  tj^s 
time,  his  righteousness:  that  he  might  be  just,  and 
the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.  How 
much  stress  is,  in  the  Scriptures,  laid  upon  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  as  essential  to  the  peace  and  happi- 
ness of  man !  It  is  essential  to  his  peace  with  God 
and  to  peace  in  his  own  heart.     It .  is  necessary  to 


FORGIVENESS    WITH    UOD.  79 

liis  life  as  well  as  to  his  peace.  lie  needs  forgive- 
ness that  he  may  glorify  God  and  enjoy  him,  that 
he  may  be  happy  and  useful,  that  he  may  have 
hope,  peace,  and  joy.  Thus  is  it  ■svritten,  There  is 
no  peace  to  the  wicked;  and,  let  the  Avicked  forsake 
his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts,  and 
let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have 
mercy  upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for  he  Anil  abund- 
antly pardon.  And  how  frequently  is  forgiveness 
promised  as  an  unspeakable  blessing!  Thus, — I, 
even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgression* 
for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins. 
I  have  blotted  out,  as  a  thick  cloud,  thy  transgres- 
sions, and  as  a  cloud,  thy  sins;  return  unto  me,  for 
I  have  redeemed  thee.  Thus  what  man  needs  is  the 
richest  blessing  which  God  can  bestow,  for  it  in- 
cludes, or  brings  Avith  it,  all  others ;  and  Avithout  the 
blessing  of  forgiveness,  he  is  and  must  be  miserable, 
for  he  is  a  sinner,  and  sin  is  the  parent  of  misery. 
All  need  forgiveness ;  all,  every  one ! 

Confr.ssions, 

Yes,  all  need  forgiveness;  all,  every  one!  All 
men  confess  their  need  of  pardon.  So  general  is 
the  consciousness  of  guilt  and  ill-desert,  a-nd  the  ex- 
pression, in  some  way,  of  the  desire  of  forgiveness, 
that  it  may  be  termed  an  universal  sentiment.  It  is 
almost  as  widely  diffused  as  is  the  human  race.  All 
men,  with  fcAv  and  rare  exceptions,  are  sensible  of 
their  fallen  condition;  all  desire  pardon;  and  in  some 


80  OUR    rASSOVER. 

way,  all  confess  their  need  of  forgiveness.  The 
sacrifices  and  penances,  the  self-inflicted  tortures 
and  self-hnmblations  of  the  heathen,  are  but  so 
many  confessions  directly  in  point.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  Catholic  rites  and  Mohammedan  super- 
stitions. And  many  of  the  religious  forms  and  ex- 
ternal moralities  and  generous  acts  of  nominal 
Christendom  spring  from  the  same  source.  And 
the  cry  of  the  penit-ent  is  for  mercy  and  pardon. 
The  publican  prayed,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner! Every  prayer  is  a  confession  of  guilt,  and  a 
plea  for  the  remission  of  sins.  The  Saviour  him- 
self has  taught  us  to  pray,  Father,  forgive  us  our 
debts — our  sins — as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  The 
holiest  pray  for  pardon ;  they  ask  for  forgiveness ; 
they  plead  not  their  merits  before  God,  for  they 
have  non€  to  plead;  they  say,  not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  ha^e  done,  but  according  to 
his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  All  being 
sinners,  all  need  forgiveness.  If  the  best  men  con- 
fess their  need  of  forgiveness,  the  awakened  sinner 
feels  it  with  oppressive  weight.  He  is  convinced 
of  his  sins  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  cries,  0 
wretched  man  that  I  am !  He  is  burdened  with  a 
sense  of  his  unworthiness,  and  cries,  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved?  Can  I  be  forgiven?  How  can 
this  burden  be  taken  from  my  heart?  Is  there,  for- 
giveness with  God?  Is  there  forgiveness  for  me? 
Yes,   all  need    forgiveness,  many  confess  it,  but 


FORGIVENESS   WITil    (iOD.  81 

few  feel  it  as  they  should.  It  is  not  until  convinced 
of  sin  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of-  God  that  men  truly  feel 
their  need  of  being  forgiven.  But  -when  the  Spirit 
brinirs  the  truth  home  to  their  hearts  and  convinces 
tlicm  of  their  sin  and  misery,  then  tliey  begin  to 
feel  as  before  they  never  felt,  that  they  must  be  for- 
given or  perish.  Sin  then  appears  an  infinite  evil. 
Good  cleeds  they  have  none.  They  blush  to  think 
of  merit.  Sin  is  their  burden.  They  loathe  and 
abhor  themselves  on  account  of  sin ;  and  they  feel 
and  confess  that  it  would  be  just  in  God  to  leave 
them  to  perish  for  ever — to  mark  their  iniquities 
and  condemn  them  to  eternal  death.  They  cannot 
stand  before  him.  Their  sins  are  not  only  their 
burden,  but  their  grief  and  their  abhorrence ;  and 
crushed  beneath  the  mighty  load,  sad,  sorrowful,  re- 
penting, they  cry.  What  must  we  do?  How  can  we 
be  forgiven  ?  How  delivered  from  sin  ?  Is  there 
forgiveness  with  God  ?  Thus  a  sense  of  sin  pre- 
pared Adam  for  the  promise  of  the  woman's  seed : 
and  a  sense  of  sin  prepares  men  for  the  announce- 
ment of  mercy  through  Jesus  Christ.  T^ot  till  we 
feel  lost  by  sin  are  we  ready  to  be  saved  by  faith  in 
the  Son  of  God. 

Tlie  Xliird  JLesson, 

But  whether  we  feel  it  or  not,  we  are  sinners,  and 
need  forgiveness.  Then  is  there  forgiveness  ?  What 
question  can  be  more  important  for  us  as  sinners  ? 
Is  there  forgiveness  ?     Yes,  there  is  forgiveness  with 


82  OUR   PASSOVER. 

God.  If  tlion,  Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquities,  0 
Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?  But  there  is  forgiveness  with 
thee. 

Forrjivcnoss  u'ith  God. 

Forgiveness  with  God  !  This  is  a  glorious  truth ! 
Nothing  of  this  is  known  from  the  light  of  nature. 
The  volume  of  nature,  with  all  its  vastness,  suh- 
limitj,  and  beauty,  speaks  not  a  word  of  forgiveness. 
It  speaks  of  the  depravity  of  man,  but  leaves  us  all 
in  darkness  respecting  a  way  of  recovery  from  sin 
and  ruin.  It  teaches  us  the  need  of  forgiveness ;  it 
teaches  the  impossibility  of  acquittal  on  the  ground 
of  works  or  merit ;  but  in  all  its  contents,  it  has  not 
a  line  like  this,  There  is  forgiveness  with 
God  !  The  Scriptures  alone  contain  this  blessed 
intimation ;  and  it  is  an  intimation  so  far  above 
the  teachings  of  reason,  that  it  would  scarcely 
be  creditable  if  the  Bible  did  not  reveal  it.  We 
should  bless  God  for  this  truth,  so  intimately 
connected  with  our  necessities  as  sinners  ;  and  if  for 
no  other  reason,  we  should  love  the  Bible  because  it 
says  there  is  forgiveness  with  God.  Hence  it  is  that 
the  awakened  begin  to  search  the  Scriptures  as  soon 
as  they  begin  to  pray  and  to  ask  for  the  way  of  life. 
The  Bible  alone  can  solve  their  doubts  and  relieve 
their  perplexities  ;  and  it  can  do  this  because  it  alone 
reveals  the  way  of  salvation — forgiveness  with  God  ! 

The  light  of  nature  does  not,  but  the  Bible  does, 
res'cal  the  glorious  and  astonishing  truth,  that  there 
is  forgiveness  with  God — forgiveness  even  for  the 


FOROIVENESS    WITH    OOD.  83 

chief  of  sinners — forgiveness  ■with  him  that  he  may 
be  feared,  and  plenteous  redemption  that  he  may  be 
souglit  unto.  It  sets  Jehovah  before  us  as  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering, 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth  ;  keeping  mercy 
for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression, 
and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty, 
"without  a  satisfaction  to  his  justice,  or  if  they  con- 
tinue impenitent  and  unbelieving,  for  he  is  just. 
And  yet  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever. 
And  says  Daniel,  To  the  Lord  our  God  belong 
mercies  and  forgivenesses,  though  we  have  sinned 
i^ainst  him.     There  is  forgiveness  with  God. 

The   Way  of  Forgiveness. 

Forgiveness  !  But  it  would  be  of  comparatively 
little  moment  for  us  to  know  that  there  is  forgiveness' 
with  God,  if  we  were  left  in  ignorance  of  the  way 
in  which  the  benefit  may  be  secured.  Let  the 
mariner  on  the  stormy  deep  be  informed  that  there 
is  safety  in  port,  and  what  would  that  avail 
him,  had  he  no  compass  by  which  to  direct  his 
tempest-tossed  bark  into  the  desired  haven  ?  Tell 
the  burdened  sinner  there  is  forgiveness  with  God, 
and  what  will  that  avail,  if  you  tell  him  not  how  he 
may  approach  Jehovah  acceptably  and  find  pardon 
and  peace  ?  The  Bible  does  not  leave  us  in  dark- 
ness here.  Light  shines  from  the  sacred  page  on  the 
sinners  patlnvay,  directing  him  to  the  cross  of 
Clnist.     The  Bible  points  out  the  way  of  forgive- 


84  OUR    PASSOVER. 

ncss.  It  tells  us  liow  iniquities  may  be  blotted  out, 
and  the  sinner  stand  acquitted  and  justified  and  ac- 
cepted and  saved.  Its  teachings  here  are  divine. 
No  other  book  teaches  hke  this.  The  reckoning 
here  revealed  is  God's  oivii  arithmetic — reckoning 
with  a  substitute  in  the  sinner's  stead.  The  method 
of  pardon  and  salvation  here  revealed  is  above 
human  invention ;  it  came  from  God :  he  is  its  Author. 
This  mode  of  reckoning  is  all  his  own.  The  plan 
of  salvation  developed  in  the  Scriptures  is  so  unlike 
every  other,  so  far  transcending  human  genius,  so 
honouring  to  God  and  so  abasing  to  man — so  wise, 
so  good,  so  unique — that  the  Bgok  which  contains  it 
must  have  been  written  by  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  AVere  there  no  other  argument  for  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Scriptures,  this  alone  is  sufficient  to 
establish  their  claim  to  divine  inspiration.  They 
came  from  God. 

The  Scriptures  not  only  teach  us  the  possibility 
of  forgiveness,  they  also  point  out  the  way.  It  is 
by  faith  in  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
passover,  the  Lamb  slain.  They  reveal  a  p£culiar 
method  of  reckoning — God's  method — reckoning 
with  a  Surety  or  Substitute,  marking  the  iniquities 
of  the  sinner  against  the  Substitute,  or  placing  them 
to  his  account,  he  bearing  the  penalty,  and  the  sin- 
ner being  acquitted,  forgiven,  justified,  and  accepted, 
on  the  exercise  of  faith  in  him.  The  Surety  paying 
the  debt  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself;  and  all  who  by 
faith  avail  themselves  of  the  sacrifice  thus  made  are 


FORQIVENESS    WITH    (iOD.  85 

forgiven.  Tlic  Surety  makes  atonement  and  pays 
the  debt,  and  all  who  believe  in  him,  are,  on  the 
■exercise  of  faith — their  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  their  Saviour-^-acquitted  and  stand  justified  be- 
fore God.  So  that,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Thus  there  is  forgiveness  with  God. 

What  Christ  has  done. 

But  to  be  more  particular.  Cojisidei'  what  has 
been  done  to  open  the  way  for  the  forgiveness  of 
sins  and  to  secure  this  blessing  to  all  them  that  be- 
lieve. Jesus  Christ  took  the  sinner's  place,  his 
law-place,  and  was  made  a  curse  for  him ;  he  suff"ercd 
for  him  and  in  his  stead,  and  thus  atoned  for  his 
sins.  By  his  obedience,  sufierings,  and  death,  ho 
has  made  an  atonement  for  his  sins,  and  brought  in 
an  everlasting  righteousness  for  his  justification ;  and 
now  ascended,  he  ever  liveth  to  intercede.  Thus  it 
is  written,  Christ  suiFered  for  us.  He  died  for  the 
ungodly.  He  was  made  a  curse  for  us;  who,  his 
own  self,  bare  our  sins.in  his  own  body  on  the  tree. 
He  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself.  On  him  was  laid  the  iniquity  of  us  all. 
He  who  knew  no  sin  was  made  to  be  sin  for  us,  a 
sin-ofiering — the  bearer  of  our  sins — that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  He  is 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  He  is  offered  to  men 
in  the  gospel  as  their  Saviour.  When  they  believe 
— receive  and  rest  upon  him — they  are  forgiven  and 

8 


86  OUR    PASSOVER. 

* 

accounted  righteous.  They  are  not  only  acquitted 
and  forgiven,  but  they  are  treated  as  innocent,  as  if 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  were  theirs.  This  is  the 
way  God  forgives;  thus  there  is  forgiveness  with 
God.  Christ  has  died ;  and  the  sinner  has  but  to 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  is  forgiven,  justified, 
saved: — and  to  believe  in  Christ  is  to  credit  the 
testimony  of  God  concerning  him  and  to  receive 
and  rest  upon  him  alone  for  salvation ;  it  is  to  trust 
in  Christ  for  pardon  and  eternal  life.  Now  the 
righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested, 
even  the  righteousness  of  God  which  is  by  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  be- 
lieve. Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified 
by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law.  Rom.  iii.  21-28. 

Sow  God  Forgives. 

We  should  ever  remember  that  God  forgives  only 
through  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  because  of  his  atone- 
ment, because  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins, 
that  God  can  be  just  and  yet  justify  him  which  be- 
lieveth  in  Jesus.  Hence  it  is  that  forgiveness  is  so 
frequently  spoken  of  in  connection  with  the  name, 
office,  and  work  of  Christ  the  Mediator,  and  the 
shedding  of  his  blood.  Repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  are  preached  in  his  name.  Luke  xxiv.  47. 
There  is  salvation  in  no  other.  Him  hath  God  ex- 
alted with  his  right  hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Sa- 
viour, for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgive- 
ness of  sin.  Acts  V.  31.     Through  him  is  preached 


FORGIVENESS    WITH    GOD.  87 

the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Acts  xiii.  38.  In  whom  wc 
have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace.  .  Ilis 
blood  clcanseth  from  all  sin ;  and  without  shedding 
of  blood  is  no  remission.  Hence  the  atoning  blood 
of  Christ  is  the  only  ground  of  hope.  There  is  for- 
giveness with  God,  but  it  is  only  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  because  he  has  died  and  now  lives.  lie 
is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life.  No  man  cometh 
unto  the  Father  but  by  him.  Reject  him,  and  tliere 
is  no  pardon,  no  hope.  Reject  him,  and  you  aiy 
lost.  Receive  him,  and  you  are  safe.  Receive  him, 
and  pardon  ai!tl  eternal  life  arc  yours.  Kiss  the 
Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish ! 

"  His  is  the  name  that  calms  our  fears, 
That  bids  our  sorrows  eeasej 
'Tis  music  in  the  sinner's  ears, 
'Tis  life,  and  health,  and  peace." 

Yea,  he  is  our  peace,  having  destroyed  the  enmity 
by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  and  reconciled  us  to  God 
by  his  death. 

Invitations  and  Entreaties. 

Burdened  sinner,  Jesus  has  died!  He  says  to 
you.  Come  unto  me !  Go  to  him  with  a  broken  and 
contrite  heart.  Receive  him.  Give  yourself  to  him, 
saying: 

"Here,  Lord,  I  give  myself  away, 
'Tis  a!l  that  I  can  do  !"' 

Ahd  this  is  all  he  requires.    This  is  the  way  to  peace, 


88  OUR    PASSOVER. 

the  Avay  of  salvation.  Believe  in  Jesus;  cast  your 
burden  on  him,  and  you  shall  be  forgiven  and  saved. 
Convinced  of  your  sins  and  penitent,  go  to  Jesus 
Christ,  give  yourself  to  him,  and  then  live  to  his 
glory.  This  is  the  evidence  you  are  to  give  that 
you  do  truly  close  in  with  the  offered  mercy — a  life 
of  obedience  to  Jesus  Christ.  Believing  in  him  is 
the  way  of  life ;  obeying  him  is  the  evidence  you  are 
to  give  to  the  world  that  you  do  believe.  As  a  be- 
lieving sinner,  you  shall  be  forgiven ;  as  a  forgiven 
sinner,  you  must  fear  God  and  keep  his  command- 
ments, for  there  is  forgiveness  with  him,  that  he  may 
be  feared,  feared  reverently  and  obediently,  for  that 
fear  which  is  the  offspring  of  the  hope  of  pardon,  is 
the  bosom  companion  of  love  to  God  and  man. 

Forgiveness!  Then  there  is  hope!  Burdened, 
weary,  and  heavy-laden  sinner,  look  up!  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God!  He  came  to  take  away  your 
sins;  he  can  give  you  rest.  Believe  in  him,  and 
you  shall  have  peace.  How  many  have  found  him 
precious  to  their  souls !  They  have  come  to  him  in 
their  distress,  and  have  gone  on  their  way  rejoicing. 
They  have  found  there  is  forgiveness  with  God,  and 
they  have  cried  with  the  spirit  of  children,  My 
Father,  thou  art  the  gu^de  of  my  youth !  Yes,  there 
is  forgiveness  with  God  through  Jesus  Christ;  and 
if  you  feel  your  sins  to  be  a  burden,  you  may  hope 
in  his  mercy. 

Tlie  Fourth  Xesson. 

There  is  further  instruction  here.     We  are  also 


FUllUlVENESS    AVITH    CiOD.  89 

taught  the  design  and  result  of  the  scheme  of  mercy 
which  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  devised  for  the 
pardon  and  restoration  of  fallen  man :  there  is  for- 
giveness Aviththee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared — to 
the  intent  thou  mayest  be  feared,  for  this  very  pur- 
pose. If  there  were  no  hope  of  forgiveness,  there 
could  be  no  pity  in  this  world,  there  could  be  no 
genuine  repentance,  no  filial  obedience,  no  reveren- 
tial worship  of  God.  All  would  be  blank  despair, 
hardened  sinfuhiess  and  "bitter  remorse.  Earth 
would  be  hell !  There  is  forgiveness,  that  there 
may  be  pity,  reverence,'  love,  obedience.  God 
should  be  feared — feared  in  every  proper  sense — 
because  there  is  forgiveness  with  him.  But  there  is 
forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayost  be  feared. 

God  'Jtevealed. 

Forgiveness,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared, 
because  the  plan  of  redemption  reveals  to.  us  the 
greatness  and  glory  of  the  divine  character.  God  is 
infinite  in  wisdom,  or  he  could  never  have  devised 
such  a  plan.  "Well  is  Jesus  Christ  called  the  wisdom 
of  God ;  the  plan  of  salvation  through  him  is  a  won- 
derful display  of  divine  wisdom.  This  scheme  ori- 
ginated with  one  who  is  all-wise.  It  is  the  offspring 
of  Jehovah's  counsels.  Here  is  wisdom.  And  God 
is  infinite  in  goodness  and  mercy,  or  he  would  never 
have  devised  such  a  plan.  What  love  is  here !  what 
pity !  what  mercy !  what  goodness !  And  see  what 
justice  is  here  displayed  also !     See  how  Christ  suf- 

8  ■» 


90  OUR    PASSOVER. 

fered  that  man  might  be  forgiven !  If  herein  is  love, 
so  herein  is  justice  too !  Had  not  God  been  just,  he 
woukl  not  have  devised  such  a  plan  for  the  pardon 
of  man  and  the  honour  of  his  throne — his  throne  hon- 
oured and  his  law  maintained,  vrhile  man  is  forgiven ! 
And  had  he  not  been  infinite  in  power  and  resources 
— able  to  control  all  things — he  could  not  have 
executed  the  plan.  Earth  and  hell  conspired  against 
its  execution;  and  how  many  things  were  necessary 
to  bring  about  its  accDmplishment !  How  many 
things  must  meet,  or  be  overruled  and  directed,  to 
secure  the  accomplishment  of  the  divine  purposes  in 
the  death  of  Christ  by  the  voluntary  agency  of  sin- 
ful men !  Yet  all  this  was  accomplished,  just  when, 
and  where,  and  how,  God  has  determined  and  the 
prophets  declared.  In  the  conception  and  comple- 
tion of  the  plan  of  redemption,  what  a  wonderful 
display  is  made  of  the  divine  perfections!  What 
glory  is  here  seen  to  invest  the  character  of  God ! 
What  a  revelation  is  here  made  of  him !  This  is  the 
Being  with  whom  there  is  forgiveness ;  this  is  the 
way  in  which  he  has  rendered  it  possible  for  him  to 
forgive ;  this  plan  acquaints  us  more  perfectly  with 
the  fearful  as  well  as  the  lovely  perfections  of  his 
character ;  and  because  of  this  revelation  thus  made  of 
God — because  of  this  clearer  view  which  the  plan  of 
redemption  gives  of  the  divine  attributes — his  name 
should  be  feared — be  regarded  with  reverence,  vene- 
ration, awe,  gratitude  and  love.  There  is  forgive- 
ness with  him,  that  he  may  be  feared.     This  plan  of 


FORGIVENESS   WITH    GOD.  91 

mercy  has  been  devised  and  executed  that  man  may 
be  forgiven,  and  that,  by  the  brilliant  displays  it 
should  make  of  the  perfections  of  God,  all  men  might 
be  constrained  to  fear  his  great  and  holy  name- 
that  men  may  know  God,  and  knowing,  fear,  love, 
and  serve  him.  The  glory  of  God  is  seen  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  way  of  salvation  through 
•him.  It  reveals  God  to  us ;  and  reveals  him  that  we 
may  fear  him.  Tlie  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  begin- 
ning of  wisdom.     His  fear  is  piety. 

Jteverential  Fear. 

That  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared  with  reveren- 
tial fear.  He  is  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
praises,  doing  wonders.  We  should  approach  him 
with  holy  awe.  We  should  reverence  his  holy  name 
because  he  forgives,  and  fear  to  oifend  him ;  so  fear 
as  to  adore,  so  reverence  as  to  love  and  obey. 

Filial  JFear. 

That  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared  with  filial 
fear.  When  we  are  forgiven,  we  become  his  chil- 
dren ;  we  are  adopted  into  his  family ;  we  become 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty. 
Hence  we  should  fear  him  as  our  Father ;  we  should 
have  the  fear  of  children;  fear  that  constrains  to 
love  and  obey;  fear  that  keeps  us  near  his  feet;  fear 
that  flies  from  temptation,  and  gives  us  the  victory 
over  sin.  A  right  view  of  the  plan  of  salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ,  and  a  cordial   embracing  of 


92  OUR   PASSOVER. 

that  plan  and  of  Christ  by  faith,  will  beget  this  fear 
within  us,  and  bring  us  wholly  in  subjection  to  the 
divine  will  and  requirements. 

Fea/r  of  Wrath. 

That  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared  because  of 
the  manner  in  which  he  forgives.  He  forgives 
through  Christ.  And  that  he  might  forgive,  Christ* 
died.  Now,  if  he  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  de- 
livered him  up  to  an  ignominious  death,  rather  than 
forgive  the  sinner  without  a  satisfaction  to  his  jus- 
tice, will  he  spare  the  sinner  who  refuses  to  embrace 
Jesus  Christ,  and  avail  himself  of  the  forgiveness  of 
sins  through  him  ?  Most  surely  he  will  not.  There 
is  danger.  There  is  wrath  to  come  !  The  impeni- 
tent and  unbelieving  sinner,  therefore,  has  reason  to 
fear ;  he  has  reason  to  fear  coming  wrath.  Look  on 
the  agonies  of  Christ ;  see  there  the  justice  of  God, 
and  fear  and  tremble !  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  re- 
vealed from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in 
flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  who  shall  be  punished  v>^ith -everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from 
the  glory  of  his  power  ?  2  Thess.  i.  7-9. 

Fear  a  Motive. 

There  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be 
feared — so  feared  as  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  way  of 
forgiveness  provided  for  us  and  offered  to  us.    We  are 


rOUGIVKNESS    WITH    GOD.  93 

guilty,  hy  nature  tlic  cliildrcn  of  wrath ;  the  law  of 
God  condemns*  us  ;  wc  arc  exposed  to  its  curse ;  in 
danger  of  perishing.  The  sufferings  of  Jesus  teach 
us  that  we  can  expect  no  mercy  out  of  Christ.  If 
Jesus  Christ  is  not  made  to  us  the  end  of  the  law  for 
riglitcousness,  wc  must  ourselves  endure  the  curse — 
the  wrath  of  God  for  ever.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,  From  this 
fearful  thing  we  should  escape.  AYe  should  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come.  We  should  so  fear  God, 
the  sin-avenger,  as  to  seek  his  forgiveness  in  the 
name  and  for  the  sake  of  Christ — forgiveness  tlu'ough 
atoning  blood.  If  hope  will  not  draw  us  to  the  cross, 
fear  should  drive  us  there.  It  should  operate  as  a 
motive  to  seek  the  salvation  of  our  souls — a  motive 
to  seek  forgiveness. 

Fear  of  Delay. 

That  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared,  lest  the  day 
of  hope  and  mercy  pass  for  ever,  and  leave  us  in  our 
sins,  unpardoned,  without  God,  and  without  hope  in 
the  world.  To  die  unforgiven  is  to  perish,  Though 
there  is  forgiveness  with  God,  there  is  a  point  beyond 
which  his  forbearance  does  not  extend. 

"  For  goodness  knows  the  appointed  bound, 
And  turns  to  vengeance,  there." 

Now  there  is  forgiveness.  Now  pardon  may  be 
secured  ;  we  should  fear  lest  we  neglect  to  apply 
for  it  till  it  is  too  late.     Let  the  application  be  made 


94  OUR   PASSOVER. 

witliout  delay,  that  you  may  receive  the  remission 
of  sins.  Now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  how  is  the  day 
of  salvation.     To-morrow  it  may  be  too  late  ! 

Fear  and  Obedience, 

That  thou  mayest  be  feared — feared,  so  as  to  obey 
him  and  live  to  his  glory.  The  remembrance  of  the 
price  of  our  redemption  and  of  what  God  has  done 
for  us,  should  constrain  us  to  live,  not  to  ourselves, 
but  to  the  glory  of  God.  Ye  are  not  your  own  ;  ye 
are  bought  with  a  price.  Pass  the  time  of  your 
sojourning  here  in  fear  ;  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that 
ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation,  received 
by  tradition  from  your  fathers  ;  but  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and 
without  spot.  God  is  to  be  reverenced  and  served 
with  filial  affection ;  and  to  this  we  should  be  con- 
strained by  what  he  has  done  for  us.  If  we  are  for- 
given, we  must  live  to  him  who  has  forgiven  us.  We 
must  so  fear  as  to  obey. 

Fear  ottr  tvhole  J>Hty. 

Forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared. 
Forgiveness ;  then  there  is  hope,  and  then  there  may 
be  love,  gratitude,  service,  worship.  If  there  were 
no  hope  of  forgiveness,  there  could  be  no  escape 
from  despair ;  and  in  their  desperation,  men  would 
have  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  Of  course, 
there  could  be  no  pity  in  the  world.     Man  would 


FORGIVENESS    Wll'll    (iOD.  95 

liavc  duties,  but  liis  duties  would  not  be  done ;  he 
would  be  under  obligations,  but  obligations  would  be 
disregarded.  The  hope  of  forgiveness  through 
Jesus  Christ,  therefore,  is  the  basis  of  all  that  is 
morally  excellent  among  men.  It  is  the  mainspring 
of  human  virtue — the  light  that  gilds  our  path  as 
we  journey  toward  heaven  ;  it  casts  its  genial  rays 
over  this  dark  and  benighted  world,  and  illuminates 
the  pathway  of  man  as  he  journeys  to  the  tomb. 
It  is  the  foster-parent  of  holy  love.  And  now,  that 
there  is  forgiveness  with  God,  man  may  hope,  and 
God  may  be  loved  as  well  as  feared ;  yea,  he  may 
be  loved  because  feared,  for  this  fear  includes  love. 
It  is  the  whole  of  piety — our  whole  duty.  That 
fear  which  is  the  offspring  of  the  hope  of  pardon,  is 
the  bosom  companion  of  love  to  God  and  man.  We 
love  him  whom  we  fear ;  we  worship  and  adore  him ; 
Ave  delight  in  serving  and  pleasing  him ;  we  live  to 
his  glory.  Having  our  sins  forgivei^,  and  being  re- 
conciled to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  we  serve  him 
with  holy  fear  and  ardent  love  and  constant  zeal. 
Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter : 
Fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments :  for  this  is 
the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall  bring  every 
work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing, 
whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.  Eccl.  xii. 
1,  13,  14. 

Adoratiotu 

Let  saints  adore  !      There  is  a  way  of  pardon  ;  a 
way  which  places  the  divine  perfections  in  the  clear- 


96  OUR    PASSOVER. 

est  light,  brings  a  rich  revenue  of  praise  and  glory  to 
God,  while  it  teaches  man  his  insignificance,  his  worth- 
lessness,  his  vileness,  and  his  helplessness;  a  way 
which  glorifies  God  and  abases  man — honours  the  law 
while  it  saves  the  transgressor.  In  this  way  Christians 
have  been  led.  They  have  felt  their  sinfulness,  their 
corruption,  vileness  and  exposure ;  they  have  said 
with  the  Psalmist  when  overwhelmed  with  conviction, 
shame  and  confusion,  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldest  mark 
iniquities,  0  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?  They  have  felt 
themselves  guilty,  vile,  undone,  ruined,  and  lost ; 
and  they  then  inquired  what  they  must  do,  how  they 
could  be  delivered  from  sin  and  wrath,  and  have 
peace  with  God.  Alarmed,  despairing,  they  were 
pointed,  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  door  of  hope  was 
opened,  they  saw  in  the  cross  of  Christ  that  there 
is  forgiveness  with  God ;  they  believed  and  were 
forgiven.  A  new  song 'was  put  into  their  mouths, 
even  praise  to  our  God ;  and  now  they  sing  redeem- 
ing love.  Let  them  adore  Him  who  devised  the  plan 
of  redemption ;  let  them  adore  him  who  died  to  re- 
deem them ;  let  them  adore  that  grace  which  took 
their  feet  out  of  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay ;  and 
while  they  adore,  let  them  consecrate  themselves 
anew  to  the  service  of  God,  and  do  what  they  can  to 
communicate  to  others  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation. 
Speedily  may  all  hear  of  Jesus ;  speedily  may  all 
hear  of  forgiveness  in  his  name  !  What  book  reveals 
the  way  of  life  ?  To  what  book  is  the  Christian  in- 
debted for  his  immortal  hopes  ?     The  Bible.     And 


FORGIVENESS    WITH    OOD.  97 

docs  he  deserve  tlie  name  of  Christian  wlio  docs  not 
exert  himself  to  give  tlie  Bible  to  the  destitute,  to 
give  the  Bible  to  the  world  ?  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He 
that  believeth,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but 
he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned.  Mark  xvi. 
15,  16.. 

Frnr  and  Tfenihle. 

While  saints  adore,  let  sinners  fear  and  tremble. 
There  is  forgiveness  with  God,  that  he  may  be  feared 
— that  man  may  have  pity  toward  him  and  live  in 
his  fear — and  if  they  refuse,  they  should  tremble 
at  his  wrath.  The  sinner  should  fear  and  tremble 
for  the  reasons  which  have  been  named,  and  for 
others.  Reader — if  yet  in  your  sins — you  should 
fear  and  tremble  because  you  have  lived  so  long 
without  securing-  the  forgiveness  of  your  sins.  You 
are  a  sinner.  -  You  need  forgiveness.  You  can 
never  stand  acquitted  before  God  on  the  ground  of 
merit.  You  can  stand  only  in  Christ.  He  is  ofiered 
to  you  freely.  You  are  invited  to  come  to  him. 
Long  and  often  have  you  been  invited ;  and  as  long 
and  often  have  you  refused.  Y^ou  would  not  come; 
and  still  you  will  not!  The  Spirit  has  striven, 
but  you  have  resisted;  and  still  you  resist!  You 
are  yet  in  your  sins ;  yet  without  hope !  And  the 
fact  that  you  have  lived  so  long  in  the  midst  of 
gospel  light,  so  long  under  religious  appliances,  so 
long  in  the  neglect  of  duty,  while  conscience  has 
admonished  you  as  it  seems  in  vain;  lived  so  long 

9 


98  OUR   PASSOVER. 

rejecting  Christ  and  grieving  the  Spirit,  should 
alarm  you,  and  cause  you  to  fear  and  tremble! 
Danger  is  near!  Death  is  coming!  You  have 
treasured  up  a  vast  amount  of  guilt,  and  you  are 
constantly  provoking  God  to  leave  you  for  ever  to 
hardness  of  heart  and  blindness  of  mind — leave  you 
to^  live  and  die  in  your  sins !  And  you  should  fear 
and  tremble  because  God  is  just.  He  will  one  day 
pour  his  fury  upon  you  unless  you  avail  yourself  of 
that  salvation  "vvhich  Jesus  Christ  has  purchased 
with  his  blood.  He  will  not  spare  the  impenitent 
and  unbelieving.  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into 
hell.     0  sinner,  fear,  and  tremble,  and  repent ! 

Vniversnlisni. 

Universalism  is  false.  There  is  forgiveness  with 
God,  that  he  may  be  feared.  They  who  fear  not 
God  are  not  forgiven ;  and  they  who  are  not  for- 
given cannot  be  saved.  Salvation  begins  here  on 
earth  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins ;  and  where  forgiveness 
is  not,  as  it  is  .not  where  there  is  no  fear  of  God, 
there  sin  remains,  there  wrath  remains,  and  there 
must  be  eternal  death,  everlasting  punishment.  All 
are  not  saved,  for  all  are  not  forgiven;  and  so 
universalism  cannot  be  true.  It  is  a  fatal  delusion, 
a  doctrine  of  the  devil.  Shun  it  as  the  way  to 
death ! 

Seeli  Forgiveness. 

Then  seek  the  forgiveness  of  sins  through  Jesus 
Christ.      Through   him   there   is   forgiveness   with 


FORGIVENESS   WITH    GOD.  99 

God.  lie  came  into  tlic  Avorld  to  save  sinners,  even 
the  chief  of  sinners.  He  died  to  save,  lie  arose 
and  ascended.  lie  lives.  lie  is  able  to  save  to 
the  uttermost.  lie  that  cometh  shall  in  no  wise  be 
cast  out.  Why  not  come?  The  object  of  our 
ministry  and  of  these  pages  is  to  persuade  men  to 
come  to  Christ,  to  persuade  them  to  seek  forgive- 
ness, to  persuade  them  to  be  saved.  One  would 
think  it  no  difficult  matter  to  persuade  men  to  at- 
tend to  these  things.  But,  alas,  they  are  disposed 
to  attend  to  anything. and  everything  else  but  these. 
They  will  risk  health  and  life  to  acquire  wealth; 
risk  health,  and  life,  and  property,  to  indulge  their 
carnal  propensities  and  enjoy  pleasure;  but  they  can 
scarcely  be  persuaded  to  give  a  passing  thought  to 
the  soul,  to  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  to  heaven 
and  hell!  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
Christ  and  the  evangelists,  the  written  word  and 
the  living  preacher,  the  printed  page  and  the  voice 
of  friendship,  the  conviction  of  conscience  and  the 
strivings  of  the  Spirit ;  and  yet  they  will  not  believe ! 
They  would  not  be  persuaded  though  one  should 
rise  from  the  dead!  One  has  risen,  Christ  Jesus, 
and  ascended ;  and  yet  they  believe  ,not !  They  will 
live  on  in  their  sins  till  death  overtakes  them,  and 
they  in  hell  lift  up  their  eyes  in  torment !  In  the 
latter  day  ye  shall  consider  it  perfectly!  How 
much  better  to  consider  now,  and  turn  and  live! 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  consider  your  ways !  Reader, 
pause,  and  consider  your  w^ays!     FJce  to  Chi'ist! 


100  ,  OUR    PASSOVER. 

Begin   at  once  to   seek   tlie  forgiveness   of  your 

sins ! 


Hymns, 

"  Lord,  I  am  vile,  conceived  in  sin, 
And  born  unholy  and  unclean  ; 
Sprung  from  the  man  whose  guilty  fall 
Corrupts  the  race,  and  taints  us  all. 
Behold,  I  fall  before  thy  face  ; 
My  only  refuge  is  thy  grace  : 
No  outward  forms  can  make  me  clean  ; 
The  leprosy  lies  deep  within. 
No  bleeding  bird,  nor  bleeding  beast. 
Nor  hyssop-branch,  nor  sprinkling  priest, 
"Nor  running  brook,  nor  flood,  nor  sea, 
Can  wash  the  dismal  stain  away. 
Jesus,  my  God,  thy  blood  alone 
Hath  power  sufficient  to  atone; 
Thy  blood  can  make  me  white  as  snow; 
No  Jewish  types  could  cleanse  me  so." 


"  0  God  of  mercy,  hear  my  call, 
My  load  of  guilt  remove; 
Break  down  this  separating  wall. 
That  bars  me  from  thy  love. 

"  No  blood  of  goats  nor  heifers  slain, 
For  sin  could  e'er  atone; 
The  death  of  Christ  shall  still  remain 
Sufficient  and  alone. 

"  A  soul  oppressed  with  sin's  desert 
My  God  will  ne'er  despise; 
An  humble  groan,  a  broken  heart, 
Is  our  best  sacrifice." 


FORGIVENESS    WITH    (JOD.  101 

"Great  God,  sliouUl  thy  severer  eye. 
And  thine  iinpartiul  Wand, 
Mark  and  revenge  iniquity, 
No  mortal  flesh  could  stand. 

"But  there  are  pardons  with  my  God, 
For  crimes  of  high  degree  ; 
Thy  Son  hath  bought  them  with  his  blood. 
To  draw  us  near  to  thee. 

"  I  wait  for  thy  salvation,  Lord, 
With  strong  desires  I  wait  ; 
My  soul,  invited  by  thy  word. 
Stands  watching  at  thy  gate." 


"  From  deep  distress  and  troubled  thoughts. 
To  thee,  luy  God,  I  raised  my  cries; 
If  thou  severely  mark  our  faults, 
No  flesh  can  stand  before  thine  eyes. 

"But  thou  hast  built  thy  throne  of  grace. 
Free  to  dispense  tiiy  pardons  there, 
That  sinners  may  approach  thy  face. 
And  hope,  and  love,  as  well  as  fear." 
9  » 


102  OUR   PASSOVER. 


IV. 

TF/Zr  BALT   YE? 

How  long  halt  yo  between  two  opinions  ? — 1  Kings  xviii.  21. 
27*6  Question. 

Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.  The 
great  tilings  of  the  laAV  are  fulfilled  in  him.  Through 
him  there  is  forgiveness  with  God.  In  his  name 
salvation  is  offered  to  us.  We  are  invited' to  come 
to  him  for  life.  We  are  urged  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come.  Life  and  death  are  set  hefore  us;  and  it 
may  be  asked.  Why  halt  ye  ?  Why  hesitate  ?  How 
long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?  1  Kings  xviii.  21. 

These  words,  together  with  the  history  connected 
with  them,  have  often  been  the  theme  of  remark. 
On  the  history  I  need  not  offer  any  comments ;  you 
may  read  it  for  yourself.  The  question  here  pro- 
posed should  come  home  to  your  heart.  It  is  ad- 
dressed to  you;  and  it  suggests  for  your  serious 
consideration  the  unreasonableness  and  danger  of 
indecision  in  religion.  The  prophet  addresses  the 
-people  as  undecided  and  hesitating,  and  so  you  are 
addressed.  '  And  Elijah  came  unto  all  the  people, 
and  said,  How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ? 


WllV    HALT    YE?  103 

Be  decided.  If  the  Lord  be  God,  follow  him :  but 
if  Baal,  then  follow  him.  Why  hesitate  and  waver? 
Your  indecision  is  unreasonable  and  dangerous. 
Why  longer  indulge  in  it,  and  how  long  ?  How 
long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions? 

The  same  question  may  now  Avith  propriety  be 
put.  There  are  multitudes  who  seem  undecided  on 
the  subject  of  greatest  moment.  They  always  in- 
tend to  become  pious ;  they  never  intend  to  delay 
religion  till  it  is  too  late ;  they  design  not  to  defer 
repentance  till  death  comes ;  but  they  are  not  ready 
to  decide  yet ;  they  are  not  ready  to  take  up  the 
subject  now ;  they  are  not  at  ease,  because  undecided, 
and  they  feel  unsafe.  Conscience  troubles  them, 
because  they  are  neglecting  duty,  and  they  have 
their  fears  of  coming  wrath.  At  times  they  are 
almost  persuaded  to  become  Christians ;  they  know 
they  ought  to  come  to  Christ,  but  they  come  not. 
To  such  I  say,  Why  halt  ye  ?  How  long  halt  ye 
between  two  opinions  ?  Your  indecision  is  unreason- 
able and  dangerous. 

Indezision  is  Unreasonable. 

Decision  of  character  is  of  priceless  value.  It  is 
important  at  all  times.  Especially  is  it  important 
in  all  great  matters  to  be  decided ;  how  unspeakably 
important,  then,  in  this !  Indecision  'y^  unreasonable 
in  proportion  to  the  vastness  of  the  interests  at  stake. 
Here  everything  is  at  stake ;  eternal  bliss  or  woe 
depends  upon  our  being  decided  !     llow  unreasonable 


104  OUR   PASSOVER. 

then  to  lialt  and  hesitate — to  halt  and  hesitate  where 
eternal  consequences  are  pending !  This  will  ap- 
pear more  clearly  from  what  follows,  for  there  are 
many  reasons  why  indecision  is  unreasonable.  Then 
why  halt  ye  ? 

Decision  not  Difficult, 

Indecision  in  religion  is  unreasonable  because  the 
case  is  not  a  difficult  one  to  decide.  If  the  matter 
were  a  very  difficult  one,  there  could  be  no  great 
unreasonableness  in  halting,  at  least  for  a  time, 
between  the  two  opinions.  There  would  be  no  un- 
reasonableness in  halting  unless  it  were  continued 
for  a  longer  period  than  might  be  requisite  for  an 
intellio;ent  investis-ation  and  decision.  But  there  is 
no  very  great  difficulty  here ;  the  matter  is  perfectly 
plain ;  a  decision  is  easy.  The  objects  or  ultimate 
ends  presented  by  the  two  opinions,  religion  and 
irreligion,  are  so  diverse  in  their  nature,  that  the 
mind  need  not  hesitate  a  moment  between  them. 
On  the  one  side  is  Christ,  on  the  other  Satan ;  on 
the  one  side  is  heaven,  on  the  other  hell ;  here  is 
happinesg,  there  is  misery ;  here  is  honour,  there  is 
infamy.  How  long  need  you  halt  between  bliss  and 
woe  ?  How  long  between  heaven  and  hell  ?  or  be- 
tween Christ  and  the  Devil?  When  the  opinions, 
or  the  objects  which  they  present  to  your  mind,  are 
80  different,  wliere  is  the  need  of  hesitation  ?  In  a 
case  so  plain,  how  unreasonable  is  indecision  ?  Wliy 
halt  ye  ? 


WHY   HALT   YE?  105 


Siifflcient  Evidence, 

Indecision  is  unreasonable  because  there  is  suffi- 
cient evidence  to  command  assent.  If  there  Avere 
not  much  evidence  in  favour  of  Christianity  and  a  life 
conformed  to  it,  or  if  the  evidence  for  and  against 
were  pretty  equally  balanced,  there  might  bo  some 
pretence  for  halting  and  delay.  But  there  is  abund- 
ance of  evidence,  and  this  evidence  is  almost  entirely 
all  on  one  side.  There  is  so  much  more  evidence  for 
Christianity  than  against  it,  so  much  more  in  favour 
of  a  life  of  piety  than  there  is  in  favour  of  a  life  of 
irreligion,  that  there  is  no  excuse  for  hesitation. 
Indeed  so  ovcrwhelmino;  is  the  evidence  in  favour  of 
religion,  that  the  irreligious  themselves  acknowledge 
its  worth ;  and  they  intend  some  day  to  become 
themselves  the  followers  of  Christ.  But  the  time  is 
not  yet  come.  They  yet  are  halting.  In  view  of 
the  evidence  in 'the  case,  their  course  is  unreasonable. 
It  is  without  excuse  !  Examine  this  evidence :  look 
at  the  volumes  which  have  been  written  in  defence  of 
Christianity,  at  the  devoted  lives  and  triumphant 
deaths  of  the  Lord's  true-heartad  people  ;i^and  tell 
me  if  indecision  is  not  unreasonable  !  Go,  reader, 
s'tand  by  the  grave  of  some  departed  saint — of 
Hannah  Ilobbie  for  instance — and  tell  me  if  there  be 
not  reaUty  and  divinity  in  religion.  Her  patience 
in  suffering,  her  triumph  in  death,  her  joy  and  peace, 
are  a  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and 
they  show  the  unreasonableness  of  halting  between 


106  OUR   PASSOVER. 

two  opinions.     In  the  words  of  another,  written  by 
her  grave, 

"  Were  mine  whate'er  my  wishes  claim, 
I'd  ask  no  higher  hoon  than  this — 

Like  her's,  untarnished  be  my  fame, 
Like  Jaer's,  enraptured  be  my  bliss." 

Sufficient  Induceynents, 

Indecision  is  unreasonable  because  there  are  suffi- 
cient inducements  to  be  decided.  There  are  many 
motives  which  shouhl  at  once  decide  us  in  favour  of 
Christ  and  his  cause,  of  God,  hoHness,  and  heaven. 
Did  we  look  no  farther  than  our  own  enjoyment  in 
this  world,  we  should  hesitate  no  longer.  How  in- 
compatible is  a  state  of  suspense  with  real  enjoyment ! 
Yet  while  halting  between  two  opinions,  we  are  in  a 
state  of  suspense.  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  there 
is  no  peace  to  the  wicked.  If  you  would  be  at 
peace,  choose  whom  you  will  serve  !  Then  look  into 
eternity,  a  heaven  of  bliss,  a  hell  of  woe,  and  hear 
the  voice  of  mercy  calling  you  to  the  cross,  and 
what  farther,  or  weightier,  inducements  can  you  have 
to  come  to  a  decision  on  this  most  momentous  of  all 
subjects?  With  sttch  inducements  to  decide,  with 
such  motives  urging  to  a  proper  choice,  is  not  inde- 
cision unreasonable  ?  Is  it  not  unwise  ?  I  speak 
as  to  wise  men :  judge  ye  what  I  say.  How  long 
halt  ye  between  two  opinions  ?     And  why  halt  ye  ? 

God  Mequircs  us  to  Decide. 

Indecision  is  unreasonable  because  God  requires  us 


WHY    HALT    YE?  107 

to  be  decided.  lie  says  by  the  prophet,  IIow  long 
halt  ye  ?  In  a  case  so  plain,  why  hesitate  ?  You 
know  what  is  said  to  the  angel  of  the  church  of 
Laodicca,  Thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot ;  I  will  spue 
thee  out  of  my  mouth.  Thou  sayest,  I  am  rich ;  I 
counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that 
thou  mayest  be  rich.  Rev.  iii.  14-22.  Will  you  re- 
gard the  counsel  of  God  ?  He  requires  you  to  be 
decided  in  the  great  concerns  of  the  soul — decided 
in  regard  to  his  service.  Has  he  not  a  right  to 
command?  Is  it  not  your  duty  to  obey?  Can  you 
hope  to  prevail  against  God?  Is  it  not  written, 
Woe  to  him  that  striveth  with  his  Maker  ?  Will  you 
strive  with  him  ?  Have  you  an  arm  like  God  ?  Can 
you  thunder  with  a  voice  like  him  ?  Presumptuous 
man  !  Will  you  oppose  your  Maker  ?  When  God 
requires  you  to  be  decided,  is  not  your  indecision 
unreasonable  and  wicked  ? 

Xever  Easier  to  Decide, 

Indecision  is  unreasonable,  because  it  will  neve?, 
at  any  future  period,  be  easier  to  decide  than  it  is  at 
present.  Tlicre  is  no  reasonable  ground  of  hope 
tliat  any  difficulties  which  may  now  be  in  the  way, 
will  ever  be  less.  On  the  contrary,  they  will  prob- 
ably increase,  with  time,  in  number  and  magnitude. 
The  hope  that  it  will  be  easier  to  decide  at  some 
future  day,  than  it  is  now,  and  become  pious,  is  vain, 
delusive,  and  ruinous.  It  is  a  hope  big  Avith  disap- 
pointment and   despair.     How  unreasonable,  then, 


108  OUR   PASSOVER. 

to  delay !  It  is  as  easy  now  to  decide,  as  it  ever 
"will  1)0.  The  wor^  of  repentance  is  as  easy  now, 
faith  is  as  easy,  reformation  is  as  easy,  and  it  is 
as  easy  to  begin  a  life  of  prayer  and  devotion — a  life 
of  lioly  living  and  benevolent  doing.  Then  why 
hesitate,  and  linger,  and  delay  ?  How  long  halt  ye 
between  two  opinions  ?     Why  halt  ye  ? 

Xoss  of  Time, 

Indecision  is  unreasonable  because  it  occasions  a 
great  loss  of  time.  Time  is  precious ;  and  in  regard 
to  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  not  a  moment  should 
be  lost.  By  a  h^itating  and  undecided  manner  in 
the  pursuit  of  an  object,  we  often  lose  more  time 
than  is  necessary  for  its  accomplishment.  In  worldly 
matters  you  know  the  importance  of  being  decided 
as  to  what  is  to  be  done  next.  Then  no  time  is  lost 
in  thinking  what  should  be  done,  and  halting  and 
hesitating  between  this  business  and  that.  So  in 
regard  to  religion.  It  is  important  to  have  the  mind 
made  up,  and  made  up  right.  By  a  contrary  course, 
halting  between  two  opinions,  more  time  is  taken 
than  is  requisite  for  repenting  and  turning  to  God. 
All  this  time,  as  to  the  great  end  for  which  time  is 
given,  is  lost.  It  is  lost  to  usefulness,  lost  to  en- 
joyment, and  so  far  fe-om  being  spent  to  the  glory 
of  God,  it  is  spent  in  rebellion  against  him.  All  the 
time  that  you  are  halting  and  hesitating  and  being 
undecided,  convinced  that  you  ought  to  become 
pious,  but  not  becoming  so,  you  might  be,  and  you 


WHY    UALT   YE?  109 

should  be,  serving  God  and  doing  good  to  man. 
But  all  this  time,  as  to  any  good  purpose,  is  lost; 
instead  of  doing  good,  you  are  doing  evil ;  and  in 
view  of  this  great  loss  of  time,  I  say  your  indecision 
is  unreasonable.  It  would  be  thought  so  in  worldly 
matters.  Were  you  to  manage  your  temporal  con- 
cerns as  you  do  your  spiritual,  not  only  should  your 
poverty  come  as  one  that  travelleth,  and  your  want 
as  an  armed  man,  but  you  would  be  set  down  as  a 
maniac,  your  property  would  be  taken  from  you, 
and  guardians  appointed  for  the  benefit  of  your 
children.  As  to  the  conduct  of  men  in  spiritual 
matters,  there  is  truth  in  the  scripture  which  says, 
The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  full  of  evil,  and 
madness  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live,  and  after 
that  they  go  to  the  dead.  Eccl.  ix.  3.  Their  inde- 
cision is  so  unreasonable  that  it  is  madness !  Reader, 
are  you  mad  ?     Why  halt  ye  ? 

SitoHfice  of  Etijoynicnt. 

Indecision  is  unreasonable  because  it  is  a  great 
sacrifice  of  enjoyment.  Indecision  and  suspense 
arc  incompatible  with  true  happiness.  While  you 
are  halting  between  two  opinions  you  cannot  be 
happy.  If  you  would  make  happiness  your  own, 
you  must  come  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  serve 
him  with  all  your  heart.  His  service  is  freedom ; 
his  service  is  joy.  While  staying  away  from  Christ, 
you  rob  yourself  of  the  enjoyment  which  religion 
gives,  and  which  accompanies  a  life  of  well-doing, 

10 


110  OUR    PASSOVER. 

and  in  addition  to  this  robbery,  you  make  yourself 
an  heii'  of  all  the  misery  -which  a  state  of  suspense 
and  a  life  of  evil-doing  can  bequeath.  You  lose 
all  the  happiness  which  religion  affords;  you 
gain  all  the  wretchedness  which  suspense  begets, 
and  all  the  sorrow  inseparable  from  a  life  of  sin. 
Your  indecision,  therefore,  is  at  a  great  sacrifice  of 
enjoyment;  and  .in  view  of  that  sacrifice  your  i'^  '  - 
cision  is  unreasonable.  You  are  not  requi  to 
make  that  sacrifice.  Did  God  require  yo;  .0  make 
as  great  a  sacrifice  of  enjoyment  as  you  are  making, 
you  would  think  it  a  great  thing,  and  be  ready  to 
call  him  a  hard  master.  But  now  you  can  make  it 
in  the  service  of  Satan  and  not  complain.  God .  re- 
quires you  to  do  that  which  is  for  your  happiness, 
your  present  and  eternal  good,  as  well  as  for  his 
glory.  But  you  will  not  comply.  You  pursue  a 
course  inseparable  from  disappointment,  vexation, 
and  misery;  you  halt  and  hesitate  between  life  and 
death,  heaven  and  hell;  and, 

"  Like  the  rough  sea,  that  can'"  ot  rest, 
Tou  live  devoid  of  peace- 
A  thousand  stings  within  y   u.  breast. 
Deprive  your  soul  of  e"9e  " 

Unhappy  man,  how  unreasonable  your  case !  How 
miserable!     What  a  sacrifce  of  enjoyment! 

r       ./ice  o^  TTseftilness. 

Your  indecision  is  t.        sonable,  further,  because 
it  is  at  a  great  sacrifice    1  usefulness.     It  is  not  al- 


AVIIY    HALT   YE?  Ill 

ways  right  to  sock  our  own  enjoyment.  There  may 
be  inglorious  ease,  and  enjoyment  which  is  incom- 
patible with  duty.  The  cross  is  to  be  borne  even 
though  wearisome  to  the  flesh.  Duty  must  bc  done 
however  trying.  It  is  always  right  to  aim  at  use- 
fulness. To  be  useful,  we  must  be  pious ;  to  be  use- 
ful, we  must  bc  holy;  and  to  be  extensively  and 
permanently  useful  in  the  highest  degree,  we  must 
be  obedient  to  God  and  decided  in  our  obedience, 
prompt  and  decided  in  duty.  There  must  be  no 
half  way  Avork  about  it.  Unstable  as  water,  thou 
shalt  not  excel,  said  the  dying  Jacob  to  Reuben, 
his  first-born.  Decision  of  character  is  essential  to 
the  accomplishment  of  great  purposes.  If  you 
would  do  good,  you  must  possess  firmness  and  sta^ 
bility.  You  must  be  on  the  right  side  of  every  good 
cause,  and  take  a  decided  stand  in  its  favour,  not 
fearing  a  little  trouble,  nor  a  little  expense,  but  de- 
termined to  surmount  difiicultics  and  to  make  the 
world  feel  your  influence.  But  while  halting  be- 
tween two  opinions,  where  n^''^  y^"?  ^'^*'  ^^.  the 
right  place,  not  on  the  right  side,  and  evidently  not 
in  a  commanding  position  for  being  useful.  No ; 
all  your  influence  goes  on  the  side  of  impiety.  You 
are  doing  harm  instead  of  good!  Perishing,  and 
leading  others  with  you  to  ruin !  Should  you  come 
out  on  the  Lord's  side,  you  might  be  useful;  you 
might  lead  others  after  you  to  the  cross ;  you  might 
save  souls  from  death;  you  might  deck  your  crown 
of  eternal  rejoicing  with  redeemed  souls  as  stars  and 


112  OUK    PASSOVER. 

gems,  brilliant  for  ever !  It  is  at  this  sacrifice  of 
usefulness  that  you  remain  undecided;  and  your  in- 
decision is  unreasonable — unreasonable  and  Avitliout 
excuse ! 

T/te  Interests  at  Stake, 

Unreasonable!  And  look  at  the  interests  at 
stake :  the  soul  and  its  welfare  for  time  and  eternity 
— ^your  everlasting  well-being.  And  the  great  ques- 
tion is  to  be  decided  in  the  few  fleeting  moments  of 
this  probationary  state;  and  to  be  decided  once  for 
all ;  and  how  long  will  you,  how  long  can  you  hesi- 
tate? How  long  halt  between  two  opinions?  Is 
your  indecision  reasonable?  Do  you  not  feel  it  to 
be  unreasonable  ?  And  yet  you  are,  or  claim  to  be, 
a  reasonable  creature !  God  has  endowed  you  Avith 
rational  faculties ;  then  why  act  unreasonably  ?  Why 
pursue  a  course  which  is  not  only  unreasonable,  but 
dangerous  ?     For  your  indecision  is  dangerous. 

It  Occasions  Delay, 

Indecision  is  dangerous  becaiTaeit  occasions  delay, 
and  delay  is  always  dangerous.  It  increases  the 
diflSculties  in  your  way  in  number  and  magnitude. 
It  strengthens  the  cords  of  your  sins.  It  confirms 
your  evil  habits.  It  augments  all  the  evil  influences 
which  bind  you  to  earth,  and  keep  you  from  the 
cross  of  Christ.  It  diminishes  the  probability  of 
your  ever  coming  to  a  right  decision,  and  taking 
that  course  which  will  eventuate  in  your  future 
felicity.      It  resists  and  grieves  the  Holy  Ghost, 


WHY   HALT  YE?  113 

sc  ii'S  the  conscience,  blunts  the  sensibilities,  and 
hardens  the  heart.  Thus  your  indecision  increases 
the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  your  galvation.  Your 
indecision  is  dangerous. 

Abuse  of  PHvUegea. 

Indecision  is  dangerous  because  it  is  an  abuse  of 
your  privileges.  God  gave  you  your  privileges ;  but 
he  gave  them  not  to  be  abused;  he  gave  them'to  be 
improved.  Not  to  improve  is  to  abuse  them.-  Is 
halting  between  two  opinions — are  hesitation  and  de- 
lay— an  improvement  of  your  privileges  ?  Is  it  not 
evidently  an  abuse  of  them  ?  And  thou,  Capernaum, 
which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  shalt  be  brought 
down  to  hell;  for  if  the  mighty  works  which  have 
been  done  in  thee,  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  would 
have  remained  until  this  day.  But  I  say  untj:)  you, 
that  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  thee !  And  when 
he  was  come  near  to  Jerusalem,  he  beheld  the  city 
and  wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even 
thou,  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
thy  peace !  But  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes ! 
Reader,  your  abused  privileges  may  be  taken  away ! 
They  may  not  continue  always.  God  may  speedily 
remove  them !  And  then  you  may  sigh  in  vain  over 
your  lost  opportunities,  and  wish,  but  idly  wish,  for 
their  return.  It  is  dangerous  to  trifle  with  the 
blessings  and  privileges  of  the  gospel.  Your  inde- 
cision is  dangerous.  Why  halt  ye  'i 
10  « 


114  OUR    PASSOVER. 

Health  may  fail. 

It  is  dangerous  because  your  health  may  fail.  All 
our  vigour  should  be  given  to  God.  The  concerns 
of  the  soul  demand  the  energies  of  a  sound  mind 
and  a  sound  body.  But  how  precarious  is  health! 
In  how  short  a  time  may  it  be  taken'  away !  Lost, 
never  more  to  be  recovered !  And  when  under  the 
influence  of  disease,  and  racked  with  pain,  or  faint 
and  languid,  you  will  feel  the  necessity  of  the  sup- 
ports of  religion;  and  you  will  find  that  such  cir- 
cumstances are  not  the  most  favourable  for  first 
turning  the  attention  to  this  momentous  concern. 
How  much  better  to  come  to  Christ  while  health  is 
granted  us,  that  we  may  be  prepared  for  sickness 
when  it  comes,  or  for  sudden  death,  should  it  be  ap- 
pointed unto  us!  Sickness  may  eome,  trials  may 
come,  death  may  come!  It  is  wise  to  be  ready! 
How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions? 

Meason  may  fail. 

Indecision  is  dangerous  because  reason  may  fail 
us.  Perhaps  you  never  inte^id  to  be  deranged! 
You  do  not  contemplate  it  even  as  a  possibility. 
But  who  is  it  that  maintains  the  balance  in  the  intel- 
lectual machinery  of  your  soul?  Is  it  not  that 
Being  whose  will  you  disregard?  And  can  he  not, 
in  a  moment,  destroy  that  balance,  and  leave  you  to 
wander  abroad  a  raving  maniac,  or  to  settle  down 
in  cheerless  idiocy  ?     Can  you  be  deaf  to  the  calls 


WHY    HALT    YE?  115 

and  warnings  of  that  Being  in  whose  hand  your 
breath  is,  and  on  whose  mercy  you  depend,  for  the 
healthful  exercise  of  those  mental  capacities  which 
elevate  you  above  the  beasts  that  perish  ?  Is  it  wise 
to  do  so  ?  Is  it  safe  ?  Ah,  while  blest  with  reason, 
improve  it  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  your  soul. 
Banish  your  hesitancy;  decide  for  God  and  heaven i 
Your  reason  may  fail !    Your  indecision  is  dangerous. 

Life  tiuty  etui. 

It  is  dangerous  because  life  may  terminate  before 
you  decide.  How  long  halt  ye?  You  may  halt 
too  lono; — till  death  comes ;  and  then  it  is  too  late ! 
Your  destiny  then  is  sealed  for  ever!  Frequently 
providences  speak  loudly  of  the  shortness  and  un- 
certainty of  life,  and  the  importance  of  being  ready, 
always  ready.  And  yet  you  hesitate.  Are  you 
willing  to  die  as  you  are?  I  know  you  are  not. 
Then  why  are  you  willing  to  live  as  you  jn-e?  You 
can  live  so  but  a  little  Avhile  longer,  before  death 
will  overtake  you.  Death  may  come  soon ;  it  maj 
come  suddenly;  how  dangerous,  then,  to  be  unde 
cided  and  unprepared !     Why  halt  ye  ? 

The  Spirit  tnny  Dejmrt. 

It  is  dangerous,  because  although  life  may  be 
continued,  yet  the  Spirit  of  God  may  leave  you  for 
ever.  My  Spirit,  saith  God,  shall  not  always  strive 
with  man.  The  Spirit  may  be  grieved  away,  and 
take  his  everlasting  flight.     You  have  long  and  often 


L16  OUR    PASSOVER. 

grieved  and  resisted  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  has  con- 
vinced you  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment, 
pointed  to  the  coming  wrath,  and  urged  you  from 
that  wrath  to-flee.  You  have  not  yiekled  to  his  in- 
fluences. He  has  called,  but  you  have  refused. 
Still  you  are  refusing;  still  fighting  against  the 
Spirit  of  God.  Remember,  you  may  resist  the 
Spirit  once  too  often.  He  may  leave  you  to  hard- 
ness of  heart  and  blindness  of  mind  !  Your  present 
position  is  full  of  peril.  Your  indecisioh  exposes 
you  to  the  awful  danger  of  being  left  for  ever  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.  And  if  he  leaves  you,  you  are  lost ! 
Evermore  undone  !     Why  halt  ye  ? 

Hardening  Influence. 

Indecision  is  dangerous  because  of  its  hardening 
influence.  It  tends  to  render  one  more  insensible 
of  his  guilt  and  danger,  more  indifferent  to  the  claims 
of  God,  more  thoughtless  about  eternity,  more  care- 
less about  his  soul.  The  longer,  therefore,  you  halt 
between  two  opinions,  the  longer  you  are  likely  to 
halt  and  hesitate ;  the  longer  you  remain  undecided, 
the  longer  you  are  likely  so  to  remain.  Just  in  pro- 
portion to  the  length  of  time  one  has  continued  un- 
decided, just  in  that  proportion  is  the  probability 
that  he  will  always  continue  undecided,  and  perish 
in  his  sins  for  ever.  Beware  of  indecision ;  it  has  a 
hardening  influence  on  the  heart,  increases  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  soul's  salvation,  and  augment*  the  dan- 
ger of  its  endless  perdition  !     Why  halt  ye  ? 


WHY   HALT   YE  ?  117 

Itulnous  Tnflttence. 

Indecision  is  dangerous  because  of  its  ruinous  in- 
fluence on  others.  It  has  a  hardening  influence  on 
the  individual  himself,  and  through  him  it  has  a  dan- 
gerous influence  on  others.  Your  indecision  may- 
cause  otkers  to  be  undecided ;  and  thus  while  you 
are  ruining  yourself,  you  are  also  bearing  others 
with  you  down  to  the  gulf  of  perdition.  One  coward, 
fleeing  in  the  hour  of  conflict,  may  spread  panic  and 
confusion  through  a  Avhole  battalion.  You  halt  be- 
tween two  opinions ;  others  follow  your  example ; 
your  influence  is  contagious  and  ruinous.  You 
neither  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven  yourself,  nor 
permit  others  to  enter.  Remember,  you  are  re- 
sponsible for  the  souls  which  perish  through  your 
influence !  How  dangerous,  then,  your  indecision, 
when  it  not  only  ruins  your  own  soul,  but  plunges 
others  also  into  eternal  darkness  and  despair  !  It  is 
enough  to  ruin  yourself,  quite  enough ;  but  how  sad 
when  you  perish  not  alone  in  your  iniquity  !  Why 
halt  ye  ? 

The  Consequences, 

And  look  into  the  eternal  world !  See  the  conse- 
quences to  yourself  and  to  others  of  living  and  dying 
in  a  state  of  suspense,  almost  a  Christian  it  may  be, 
yet  halting  between  two  opinions.  Almost  per- 
suaded, yet  undecided !  I  Avill  not  attempt  to  de- 
scribe the  consequences.  For  ever  undescribcd,  let 
them  remain.     Let  imagination  picture  them  to  the 


118  OUR    rASSOVER. 

soul ;  no,  imagination  can  never  reach  tliem ;  lot 
them  remain  as  the  word  of  God  has  left  them :  the 
smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  for  ever  and  ever ! 
Hell  with  all  its  horrors,  and  those  eternal,  is  the 
doom  of  those  who  die  halting  between  two  opinions 
— invited  to  Christ,  on  the  point  of  turning  to  him,* 
yet  never  coming.  Will  you  thus  live  dTnd  die  'i 
Why  halt  ye  ?     Why,  say,  reader, 

".Why  Tvill  you  in  the  crooked  ways 
Of  sin  and  folly  go  ? 
In  pain  you  travel  all  your  days. 
To  reaj>  immortal  woe. 

Unreasonable  and  Dangermis, 

In  view  of  the  preceding  considerations,  I  ask,  is 
not  indecision  in  religion  most  unreasonable  and 
dangerous?  Reader,  I  put  this  question  to  your 
own  conscience ;  and  I  know  the  answer  which  your 
conscience  gives.  It  says.  Indecision  is  most  un- 
reasonable, and  dangerous,  and  wicked.  This  your 
conscience  says,  and  you  cannot  deny  it.  And 
when  your  conscience  says  this,  dear  reader,  it  con- 
demns yourself.  It  testifies  against  your  indecision ; 
it  says.  How  long  halt  between  two  opinions  ?  As 
yet  you  have  lived  without  God  and  without  hope. 
Life  and  death  have  been  placed  before  you ;  the 
Spirit  has  striven ;  the  Saviour  has  invited ;  you 
have  been  urged  and  entreated  to  choose  the  one 
thing  needful,  the  good  part  which  can  never  be 
taken  away ;  but  you  have  resisted  all  the  influences 


WHY    HALT    YE?  119 

■which  have  been  employed  to  draw  you  to  Christ, 
and  you  are  now  to-day  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  in 
the  bonds  of  iniquity,  undecided,  wavering,  halting 
between  two  opinions.  And  I  know,  and  you  know, 
and  God  knows,  that  your  position  is  unreasonable 
•and  dangerous.  You  ouglit  at  once  to  abandon  that 
position,- and  flee  to- Jesus  Christ,  the  ark  of  safety. 
Will  you  do  it  ?  or,  will  you  continue  where  you  are, 
and  perish  ?  Will  you  turn  and  live  ?  or,  refuse  and 
die? 

Decision  Wise  and  Important, 

From  Avhat  has  been  said  we  see  the  wisdom,  rea- 
sonableness and  importance  of  decision  in  religion. 
If  indecision  is  unwise,  unreasonable,  and  dangerous, 
decision  must  be  wise,  reasonable,  and  important. 
Thus  we  know  it  to  be.  It  is  a  savino-  of  time,  the 
right  improvement  of  time,  essential  to  enjoyment,  a 
help  to  usefulness ;  it  enables  us  to  improve  our  priv- 
ileges, to  secure  a  heavenly  inheritance,  and  to 
ripen  for  eternal  glory.  The  undecided  man  is  ex- 
posed to  a  thousand  temptations,  and  he  has  little  or 
no  strength  to  resist  them.  The  one  who  is  decided 
shuns  a  multitude  of  temptations  to  which  others  are 
exposed ;  and  when  assailed  by  temptation,  he  has 
the  armour  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and 
on  the  left,  with  which  to  resist  and  conquer.  He 
is  strong  in  the  Lord.  He  is  prepared  to  meet  with 
difficulties  and  discouragements,  and  overcome  them. 
Luther  had  decision  ;  and  to  his  boldness  and  decis- 
ion,   under   God,    is   the   world    indebted   for   the 


120  OUR   PASSOVER. 

glorious  reformation.  Had  Luther  been  an  Erasmus, 
popery  might  yet  have  held  undisputed  sway  over 
Christendom.  He  kindled  a  fire  which  shall  burn 
till  the  last  trumpet  shall  awake  the  slumbering  dead. 
Decision  and  boldness  now  may  accomplish  propor- 
tionate results.  Let  Christians  be  decided,  especially 
the  young ;  let  them  cling  to  the  cross  and  follow 
Christ  through  evil  and  through  good  report — follow 
the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  leadeth  them.  Our 
passover  is  slain ;  let  them  keep  the  feast  and  regard 
all  the  great  things  of  the  law.  Thus  shall  they  re- 
sist temptation,  thus  overcome  the  world,  thus  glorify 
God  and  do  good  to  men. 

Soiv  ZiOttg? 

And,  my  impenitent  reader,  let  me  ask  you  once 
again,  How  long  halt  you  between  two  opinions  ? 
How  long  will  you  resist  the  Holy  Ghost?  How 
long  refuse  to  listen  to  the  reproofs  of  conscience 
and  the  convictions  of  your  own  judgment  ?  This 
question  must  be  decided !  You  will  never  come  to 
Christ — never  keep  the  paschal  feast — never  heed 
the  great  things  of  the  law — unless  you  purpose  in 
your  heart,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  to  do.  Why 
not  form  that  purpose  now  ?  That  purpose  is  not 
religion ;  it  is  not  a  new  heart,  but  it  is  a  necessary 
step  toward  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Let  me  beseech 
you  to  take  that  step  now.  Take  it !  Resolve  !  But 
rest  not  there.  Yield  your  heart  to  the  renewing 
and  sanctifying  Spirit.  Flee  to  Christ !  Go  to 
Jesus,  and  embrace  the  cross. 


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